Beyond the Horizon
by Dariel
Summary: AU A boy with an unknown past. A girl who is far from being the spoilt daughter she's supposed to be. A group of uncouth pirates. An old map which leads to the epitome of a treasure. An adventure to come... VH. COMPLETE.
1. Black sails

Surprise!!!! And another new story!! I just couldn't resist!!! The "Create story" button is addictive!!! And before there are any questions, yes, I did watch "Pirates of the Caribbean" and yup, I liked it a looooooooooooooot and yeah, it did inspire me:P

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Escaflowne!

* * *

BEYOND THE HORIZON

* * *

CHAPTER 1 Black sails

* * *

Memory was overrated.

Or so he tried telling himself and failed believing it. Somehow, the fact that he didn't know his own birthday bothered him more than he was willing to admit. It wasn't so much the celebration of the day but that he didn't know his age and a few other facts about his life angered him. He just didn't know why. It shouldn't be important.

He tilted his head backwards and looked into the clear blue sky.

The sun warmed his tanned skin and a light breeze ruffled through his raven-black hair, making the strands tickle over his cheeks. He took a deep breath and the strong scent of fish and seaweed pricked in his nose. Licking his rough lips, he could taste salt. It was everywhere on his clothes, on his skin, in his eyelashes, creating a fine crust that cracked everytime he rubbed over it.

A flock of white seagulls was circling above his head, their cries filling the air while the wind chased white clouds across the sky. He shifted his position and sat up, a warm smile appearing on his lips when he looked at the endless expanse of sparkling blue around him.

He sat in the crow's nest, a small platform, attached to the top of a thick mast of a huge ship. Two other dark-brown masts were shooting up behind him, rooted in the wooden hull underneath. Arm-thick ropes connected the masts with each other and with the ground, giving them stability as well as the rigging which looked like an over-sized net of a spider. The ship wasn't moving, the big sails rolled up. They had just finished repairing the sails after the thunderstorm the night before and the ship was still anchored, swaying softly from side to side with the waves. The sound of them hitting the hull reached him faintly, the heavy wood creaking with the movements of the ship.

He loved the ocean. He had loved it as long as he could remember and he would forever, that was for sure. He felt home at sea. Despite the thunderstorms, the risk of drowning and the sheer endless loneliness, he felt secure. The sea gave him constancy and freedom. He admired and respected the sea that seemed to have her own personality. Wild and vivacious, doing like she pleased; brutal and merciless, pulling ships into her boundless depths to never let them return again; calm, just like now, looking as if she couldn't hurt a fly. Independent.

He blinked. Shading his sparkling auburn eyes with his right hand, he knitted his brows and focused on the horizon. He was sure he had seen something. His eyes were trained for he was always sitting in the crow's nest and watching the ocean. With the years, it had become his place. Not only a place to look for prey but also to escape the trouble on the deck and be alone. His eyes suddenly widened and he reached for the slim telescope, lying beside him. Closing his left eye, he positioned it in front of his right eye, a huge grin appearing on his face. Within a second, he was on his feet and leaned over the railing.

"Ship ahead!" he yelled at the top of his lungs and his voice echoed out over the sea, bouncing off the waves. "Ship ahead!"

At once, the life returned at the deck. The men who had slept in the shadows awoke from their slumber and jumped to their feet, the ones who had sharpened their swords or simply had played cards now stopped their activities to run to the bow of the ship. A door burst open and a tall man stumbled out of a cabin, trying to slip into his jacket. He wore dark brown pants which vanished in brown leather boots that reached his knees, his blue shirt covered by his jacket. His handsome face was framed by long blond hair, tamed loosely by a black ribbon.

"Van, where?" he screamed, focusing his piercing blue eyes on the crow's nest which was surrounded by seagulls.

"Right ahead, captain!" came the faint reply and the blond-haired man headed for the bow.

At least twenty men were gathering there, shading their eyes and staring at the horizon intently. Looking around, he spotted a black-haired man in the crowd who was holding a leathery telescope in front of his right eye and walked over to him.

"Gaddes," the captain said.

Gaddes turned around and the wind tugged at his beige shirt, a green vest covering it and the long sleeves vanishing in brown gloves. He gave his captain the telescope through which he had just looked, a broad grin on his face.

"Looks pretty good, captain," he commented and the blond-haired man closed his left eye.

In the small circle, he saw a part of the dark-blue ocean which was sprinkled with the white foam crowns of the waves, a sharp line separating it from the sky. And right there, on this line, was a white dot. A ship, with sails sparkling in the sunlight. A light grin tugged at the captain's lips when he looked up, Gaddes watching him curiously.

"And?" he asked with raised brows, a light breeze ruffling his short hair which was sparkling a dark blue.

"It's a trading ship, probably from Cesario," the captain replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "They're using the old routes because they think that they're safer. The fools."

"So, you think there's something in it for us?" Gaddes looked at the horizon again, knitting his brows to shield his deep-brown eyes from the sunlight.

"There's always something in it for us, Gaddes," the blue-eyed man stated calmly and took a deep breath. "Weigh anchor and make sail! We're gonna scare the lights out of some landlubbers!"

His voice echoed over the sea and faded in the endlessness of the sparkling blue expanse, causing cheers to erupt from the men on the deck. Their hoarse cries filled the air when they jumped into the rigging and began to climb up to the spars where the sails were fastened. A big grin on his face, Van turned around in order to hoist the flag. He pulled at a thin string and at once, a piece of black clothing crawled its way up the mast, the wind tugging at it violently. It turned and swirled and finally revealed a grinning, white skull on black background with a pair of white, crossed swords underneath it.

Without wasting any more time, Van grabbed the railing of the crow's nest firmly and jumped over it. With a thud, he landed steadily on a thick spar, the wind tearing madly at his pitch-black hair and sleeveless, red shirt. The young man kneeled down and pulled a dagger out of his right boot, the silver blade sparkling in the sunlight. He cut through the rope which was holding the sails together at the spars with a quick motion and repeated that action at the other three ropes, balancing over the spar without any problems.

The wind rustled through the fabric of the sail and made it unroll, after Van had cut through the last rope. With an elegant motion the sail unfolded completely, the wind causing waves to crawl over the black fabric. Looking around, Van saw that some other sails also unfolded, the wind trapped within their folds. The young man grabbed a rope which was swaying beside him and using it as support, he jumped down onto the next spar. A man with a red scarf and tufts of short black hair sticking out from underneath it was already busy, trying to untie the knot in the rope, his dagger between his teeth.

"Yo, Reeden! Why do you struggle with the knot when it is so easy?" Van asked and kneeling down, he cut through the rope.

"Aw, Van!" the slim man complained from the other side of the spar after he had taken the dagger out of his mouth, seeing what Van was doing. "I was really at pains to make the knots all conscientiously! And you...no, stop that!"

But it was too late. Van had already cut the next rope, chuckling. "Go to your mother, Reeden, and cry your eyes out at her skirt! It's just a damn knot!"

"Stop bad-mouthing my mother, Van!" Reeden replied angrily, waving his dagger. "She was a good woman! All caring and friendly and..." he trailed off, noticing that the raven-haired youth was long gone.

He looked down at the knot and then sighing, cut the rope. With a rustling noise the huge sail unfolded gracefully.

Meanwhile, four men were trying to weigh the anchor at both sides of the ship. The wooden hull jerked when the heavy iron anchors were finally lifted from the ground of the sea, the chains rustling while they were rolled up on a spool. Some others were pulling on various ropes, trying to tame the sails, shouts and the sound of boots stomping over wooden boards filling the deck.

Letting the rough rope slip through his gloved hands, Van slid down until he reached the deck. He could feel the heat of the friction through the leather covering his palms. Dusting his hands off on his thighs, he reached for his sword which was leaning against the first of the three thick masts. He smiled, feeling the heavy weight in his hands and quickly wrapped the leather belt with the blue sheath around his waist. Looking up, he saw that now all black sails were unfolded and swelled proudly in the strong wind; three rectangular sails attached to each mast and three triangular sails spanned between them and connected the first mast with the bowsprit.

"Van?" a young, feminine voice caught his attention and made him turn around.

His auburn eyes met sparkling blue ones. They belonged to a young woman with shoulder-long and shining pink hair, brown pointed cat-ears sticking out of it. Her skin was even more tanned than Van's one and she had three black stripes on both of her cheeks, upper arms and legs. She wore a once white apron over her orange dress, trails of her fingers visible where she had cleaned them on the apron.

"Merle," he said and a warm smile spread widely across his features. "What are you doing here?"

"I was making lunch when I heard the yells and shouts and I wanted to know what happened," she replied, looking around with curious eyes and her ears twitched. "So, what's the matter?"

"Lunch will have to wait," Van answered, pointing over his shoulder. "We spotted a trading ship."

"Ah, that's perfect timing!" Merle clapped her hands happily, her tail swaying excitedly from side to side. "Our provision is drawing to an end! I was down in the stocks and..."

"Merle, what are you doing here?" a deep voice interrupted her, making the cat-girl role her eyes.

"Am I not allowed to go on deck and breathe some fresh air?!" Her ears were pressed flat against her head in slight annoyance. "If I have to stay down there in this musty kitchen for the rest of my life, just tell me!"

"Don't be so dramatic," the captain said calmly, not paying any attention to Merle's outburst. "I'm just worried and I don't want to see you up here when we start. So please, go down again and hide!"

Merle was about to complain but swallowed her reply when she saw the look in the captain's eyes, knowing that she would get the worst of it like she usually did.

"Aye, captain!" she saluted, her eyes glowing angrily and turned around to head for the door which lead under deck, stomping.

A light smile on his face, the captain turned around and faced Van. "Come Van, all help is needed by aligning the sails."

"Aye, Allen."

* * *

Sitting cross-legged on wooden ground and leaning with his back against a box, a young man turned a card absently between his fingers. He was running with his thumb over the smooth surface of the spade queen while his bright blue eyes were focused on something on the ground in front of him, his brows knitted in concentration. He blew a strand of red hair out of his face which fell instantly back in place and then leaned forward. Taking a deep breath, he took another card from the deck and placed it together with the spade queen on top of a huge house of cards.

With a satisfied grin on his face, he withdrew his slightly shaking hands and exhaled slowly. But right then, the wind increased and made the house of cards shake.

"No!" the red-haired youth said and tried to protect his work with his hands.

But it was already too late. A strong breeze tugged at his hair and blew across the cards, lifting them into the air. A light chuckle could be heard when the wind scattered the cards carefully across the deck.

"That's not funny, Meneus!" the blue-eyed boy hissed and glared at Meneus who was lying outstretched on the deck beside him, arms linked behind his head and eyes closed, enjoying the sun that was warming him.

"Oh yes, it is!" he replied and opened one eye, grinning at his friend. "It is cause that happened the third time now and you don't want to understand that it is impossible to built a house of cards on deck, Elias!"

The red head snorted and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Meneus shook his head and after running a hand through his short, black hair, he stretched noisily and sat up. It was quiet on the deck, only the wooden hull creaked with the soft swaying of the ship and a seagull cried every now and then. Some men on the ship were rolling up unused ropes while they hummed an old sailor song, their voices mixing with the sound of the waves crashing against the hull. Above that, the yells of a short man could be heard who was chasing a pelican across the deck with his brush.

"Man, it's pretty rare that the sea is that calm," Meneus stated and leaned against Elias' box. "If the weather doesn't change drastically, we'll reach Basram sooner than we expected."

"And I'll see Danah again." Elias smiled a silly smile, causing Meneus to smack him over the head.

"It's been months since you've last been in Basram!" he said. "She has surely forgotten you!"

"No, not her." Elias sighed and his friend merely roll his brown eyes.

The pulleys clinked against each other and white sails rustled when the wind freshened again, making the cards jump over the deck. Elias rose from the ground and began picking up the cards, his friend watching him. The wind had carried a few of them almost to the bow of the ship and the young man could pick up the last card before the wind pushed it into the water. With a sigh, Elias straightened and looked at the sea. The water was sparkling intensely, ruffled softly by the sea breeze. He frowned by spotting something at the horizon.

"Meneus!" he called and his friend looked up. "Bring me the telescope!"

"Can't you get it yourself?" Annoyance was swinging in his voice when he replied.

"Just bring it here, okay?" Elias shouted and Meneus rose to his feet, grumbling.

He reached for the telescope which was lying on the box beside him and slowly walked across the deck to Elias. A seagull cried above them and the red-head pointed at the horizon, making Meneus frown. There was a dark spot in front of the light-blue background which was the sky. If it was a ship then why didn't their observer say anything? He lifted the telescope and looked ahead.

"A ship! A black ship!" he gasped, seeing the black hull and the black sails clearly in front of his eye. His gaze trailed up the mast and his hands shook lightly, his eyes widening by spotting the flag. "Pirates!"

Elias inhaled sharply and dropped the cards he had been holding, the wind carrying them away. He ran across the deck and nearly stumbled over thick dew which was lying there, carelessly thrown away. Some crew members were running past him on their way to the bow, the young man pushing them out of his way. He saw the big, brass-bound bell sparkling ominously and without hesitating, he grabbed the rope and rang the bell, the high sound echoing into the sky.

With a loud thud, a door burst open and hit the wall. In the doorframe stood the old captain, his brown trousers and green shirt crumpled, indicating that he had been sleeping. He was completely awake now and the sound of the alarm bell rang in his ears. Shoulder-long grey hair framed his wrinkled face and his clear brown eyes scanned the deck.

"What?" he barked and Elias just pointed to the other side of the ship.

The old man turned around and ran off, Elias following him. They heard the murmurs of the crew from afar and it turned into a whisper when the captain approached. The grey-haired man looked around and spotting the ship, he gasped.

"Pirates!" Meneus said, handing the captain the telescope.

"What? Why did you let them come so close without sounding the alarm earlier? I guess that bastard fell asleep again, up there!" the captain replied angrily and after gruffly grabbing the telescope, he held it in front of his right eye. "I swear I'll kill him...by the gods!"

Slowly, he pulled back, his mouth half open, his eyes wide in shock. He gulped and his voice shook. "If the legends are true, we're all doomed to die."

* * *

"They're altering their course!" Allen's voice echoed across the deck of the _Black Lady._ "Kio!"

"Ack ack Kio, they alter their course ack."

"Kio, alter our course!" the blond-haired man yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to drown the sound of the waves crashing against the wooden hull.

They were sailing under full sails and the hull was rearing up whenever a huge wave raised it, only to crash into the sea again, spray soaking the deck. It was a continuous up and down, the boxes which were filling the deck jumping with the movement.

"Ack alter course alter course ack ack."

"Three degrees, south south-east!" Allen continued, standing at the bow and watched the maneuver of the trading ship.

"Aye!" Kio replied and turned the helm.

"South south-east ack."

"We'll cut off their way!" Allen yelled. "Grappling irons to port! We'll attack from port! And get rid of that damn parrot or I'll pluck it!"

Allen glared up at the blue and yellow parrot which sat in the rigging and it ruffled up its long feathers before flying away, put out. He still didn't know what had gotten into him when he had allowed Merle to keep this annoying bird! It wasn't of any use, just sitting in the rigging the whole day and commenting all and everyone. But the bird wasn't dumb and had smelled danger. Whenever Allen looked at the parrot for longer than two seconds, thinking of ways to compensate for his mistake, the bird just cried and alarmed Merle who was there to defend it immediately. So, no parrot stew for Allen.

Van stood at the port side of the ship, holding the wet railing tightly and watched the trading ship come quickly closer. They had no chance, their evasive action in vain. No ship on whole Gaea could compete with the _Black Lady_. She was the fastest ship plus the trading ship was being slowed down because of being filled with goods to the point of bursting. They had a lot more draught than Allen's ship and it would be easy to catch up quickly.

The wind tugged violently at his hair, letting it dangle before his auburn eyes and spray splashed into his face, the salt burning in his eyes and making his black eyelashes stick together. Angrily, he tried to get the wet, pitch-black strands out of his view but they fell into his face again by the moment he retracted his hand. The young man snorted and looking to his right, he spotted Reeden standing beside him. The red scarf on Reeden's head seemed to glow and with a quick movement, Van had pulled it off of his head.

"Hey!" Reeden complained, touching his head. "What's gotten into you? Give it back!"

"You don't need it at all," Van replied, taming his own unruly hair with the red scarf.

Reeden mumbled something under his breath before turning away and Van looked at the sea again, satisfied with his work on his hair. The huge ship worked its way unstoppably through the stirred water, the wind romping about in the sails. The sound of the waves and the clinking of pulleys hitting the masts filled the air, the seagulls which had accompanied them for a long time already gone. They would wait until everything was over and return, knowing there was no other place where they would get food so easy.

The time was passing by really fast and the _Black Lady_ was catching up. They were already following in the trading ship's wake, the water splashing. Van could see the men on the other ship running and screaming. Of course, they were afraid, their ship wasn't armed. Actually, no trading ship was armed so that they could transport even more goods. It seemed the cannons weren't profitable enough. What carelessness. Everyone knew that the oceans were filled with pirates these days, sailing on the trading routes and robbing every ship which crossed their way – just like they did.

Allen cried the orders across the deck and Kio followed, guiding their ship beside the other one. Water splashed between the mighty wooden hulls while they were almost touching. With an amazing speed, the _Black Lady_ rushed past the trading ship and reduced the distance until they were in level with each other.

"Get ready for the attack!" Allen yelled and ran along the port side of his ship, his men grabbing the grappling irons. "Grappling irons ready!"

A wave of excitement rushed through Van right then. He liked that part the most. Though it was always the same procedure - jumping on the other ship, overpowering some incompetent crew members and leaving with arms full of loot – he liked it. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and he tightened the grip around the railing, his heart beating strongly in his chest. Through the mass of tangled ropes which was swaying in the wind, he could see the crew members of the other ship, swords unsheathed.

"Attack!" the blond-haired captain's voice echoed into the summer sky and the storm broke forth.

Hooks and ropes flew through the air, the hoarse cries of Allen's men accompanying them. The iron fingers dug deep into the wood of the trading ship, preparing the way for the pirates. Van who had no grappling iron, climbed onto the railing and taking hold of a rope, he jumped on the deck of the other ship, the foaming water of the ocean visible under his feet for a brief moment. By the moment the young man hit the deck, he pulled his sword and blocked the first thrust, the noise of heavy boots crashing onto wooden boards surrounding him.

This noise was immediately replaced by the clashing of swords. Sparks flew everywhere on the deck, the crew trying desperately to defend their ship. Van leaned against the man who had thrust after him, a light smile on his lips. Taking a step to the side, he caught the man off-guard and without letting the man find his balance, Van rammed the hilt of his sword into the crook of the man's neck. With a grunt, he hit the ground, his sword sliding over the wet deck. The raven-haired youth looked around and spotted Allen enter the deck, before he had to raise his sword again to block another attack.

It was a red-haired young man who wasn't much older than Van. He was striking at Van with all his strength, his teeth gritted but Van just dodged the attacks. The black-haired youth allowed his opponent a few more thrusts before he decided to attack himself, tangling his sword with his opponent's one and sending him stumbling backwards. He was just about the raise his sword again and thrust at the surprised blue-eyed boy again when someone stopped him.

"Stop now!" Allen's voice drowned the noises which were filling the air.

The crew members of the trading ship froze, seeing their captain stand with his back pressed against the mast, his sword sticking unreachable in the wood and Allen's sword piercing into the skin at his throat. He wasn't breathing because if he did that, the sharp blade would slice his flesh.

"Now put your swords down or your captain will immediately become a head shorter," the blue-eyed man addressed the crew calmly.

They hesitated, and an eerie silence engulfed the two ships. Without batting an eyelid, Allen increased the pressure on his sword, a fine trail of blood streaming down the blade and the swords clinked to the ground. Van grinned wickedly at his opponent and the young man glared back, his blue eyes burning with hatred. Slowly, the pirates made the crew gather in a corner of the deck, Allen still pinning the captain to the mast.

"Merle said that our stocks were empty. That's why I think we should fill them up," he said. "Take everything you can find!"

Shouts of joy filled the air when the pirates separated in order to stroll across the ship, searching for something they could take with them. After sheathing his sword, Van headed for the hatch which would led him under the deck. He walked carefully down the wooden steps and entered a narrow hallway, doors hemming it irregularly and other hallways branching off. Some other men of Allen's crew were already there, peeping into the rooms behind the doors. Van decided also for one of the doors and opened it slowly. It creaked horribly, revealing a dim room. Only a few sunbeams illuminated it, creeping through the shade-covered windows and it smelled like wood. He entered the room, the boards creaking under him and he was just about to take a look around when white stars exploded before his eyes.

With a groan, Van fell to the ground and hit the wooden boards. An unbelievable pain emitted from the back of his head and over the sound of the blood rushing through his veins, he heard his own voice call him a bloody idiot. He had been too damn careless and now he had paid the price. Some member of the crew had knocked him to the ground and would stab him at any second if he didn't rise to his feet! Hah, as if he hadn't already tried! But it was just plain impossible to raise when the world was spinning before his eyes! His arms shook under his weight, hardly able to carry him.

A loud thud beside him, made Van slowly turn his head. He saw a man he didn't know, lying unconsciously beside him, a sparkling sword in his right hand. Carefully, Van lifted himself into a sitting position, still staring at the man on the ground, the sound of conversations from the hallway hovering in the air.

"What would you do without me?" a voice from behind suddenly asked.

"Ort!" Van uttered and turned around.

In the doorframe stood a tall man, the light from outside illuminating him from behind. He was wearing simple black pants and a brown vest which wasn't closed and revealed his muscular chest, a huge scar running across his bald head. Ort was grinning from ear to ear while was scratching his head with the blade of his dagger. Spotting the blade, Van turned hastily back to look at the man on the ground.

"You didn't, did you?" he asked slowly.

"No, of course not," Ort replied and shrugged. "If the boss says no useless shedding of blood, then I won't shed blood. The coward will only have a wonderful head-ache when he wakes up. But you should be more careful, Van, or you'll someday look like me or even worse!"

Van smiled and rose to his feet. "I'll be careful," he said and after looking him over once more, Ort turned around and left him.

Van sighed and rubbed the back of his head. That would turn into a lovely swelling, he just knew it. Now that the overzealous crew member was knocked out, he had time to inspect the room. It was a cabin with four bunks, two at the left and two at the right, notches and names carved into the worn wood. Clothes were scattered across the small beds and under the window was a simple chest of drawers. Here was nothing to get – apart from the glowing red apple.

With a few steps, Van had crossed the room and reached for the fruit. He took a mighty bite and chewed, closing his eyes in delight. It's been a while since he had last eaten an apple. It wasn't that they were starving but a life as a pirate didn't include much luxury. They weren't rich though a lot of people thought they were. But what they stole was just enough to survive properly until the next ship crossed their way. It was a hard life and a lot of people would like to see them all hang therefore.

Taking another bite, Van turned around and left the room, heading for the stocks. They needed not more than thirty minutes to empty the stocks of the trading ship almost completely and fill their own ones. The ship transported food of every kind, ranging from tons of wheat and potatoes over sheep and pigs to exotic fruits. They had also found expensive fabrics hidden in a box. They would sell them somewhere together with the food they didn't need.

The last pirates with boxes on their arms crossed the deck under the glares of the crew, Van standing at the deck of the _Black Lady,_ helping to lift the boxes over the railing. Gaddes just left the cabin of the captain and walked over to Allen, struggling not to drop the chest which he was carrying.

"Look, what I found, captain!" he said proudly, a big grin on his face and opened the chest carefully.

A light smile tugged at Allen's lips when he saw the golden coins sparkle in the sunlight. "Was that everything?" he asked and Gaddes nodded, closing the chest.

"Yep," he replied and then walked to the railing, handing the chest to another pirate.

"Good," Allen stated and withdrew his sword from the surprised hostage's throat. "Well then, gentlemen, I'm afraid but I've got to leave. It was nice to meet you and thank you for all the gifts!" With a grin and taking off his non-existing hat, Allen turned around and walked away.

"You spare our lives?" the grey-haired captain called after him, rubbing his throat. "Why?"

Allen stopped and slowly turned back around, a questioning look on his face. "Why not?" he replied and shrugged, the wind tugging at his blond hair. "What good is it when I kill you? I can't sell your bodies and I can't sell your ship because they would notice that it is a missing ship and arrest me. Do you think I want that to happen?"

"But they tell of a rumoured black ship," the old man continued. "Nobody has ever seen it from up close, it just has always been a silhouette at the horizon. It is said that there are no seagulls following the ship and that the crew consists of demons. And whenever another ship crosses their way, they leave nothing but rubble, the blood of the victims turning the water red."

It was silent again, the only noise the one of the wind crawling over the sails, making the fabric rustle. Van watched Allen, an unreadable look in his auburn eyes, while he was holding a box in his hands.

"Hah, captain!" Gaddes suddenly said, leaning at the railing. "Seems as if we have got some imitators! Funny..." he trailed off, seeing the serious expression on Allen's face.

"We're leaving, Gaddes," Allen said flatly and then turned to the other captain again. "Now, you can tell that Allen Schezar doesn't kill the ones who feed him and his crew."

Nodding at the captain once more, he grabbed a rope which hung down from a spar and swung himself across the sea to his own ship.

"Remove grappling irons!" he ordered and the sound of metal clinking filled the air when his men began to pull the iron claws out of the wood of the trading ship. "We head back home."

* * *

AN: Ah yes, finally done And now, that my mind is tidied a bit, I can focus on the fourteenth chapter of a certain story!!! You heard me?! So yes, it wasn't the end yet!!!!!!! I just couldn't write on with having this idea on my mind and not having it written down!!!

Okay, I just hope you liked this one

Till next chap,

Dariel


	2. Hatching plans

Hiya!! I'm back!! And man, that was fast!! Or at least, for someone as slow as me! uu Oh yes, another thing: Thousand thanks to Ryuu Angel for helping me with the Spanish names!!!!! hugs Ryuu and giggles like mad

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Escaflowne

* * *

CHAPTER 2 Hatching plans

* * *

"Home sweet home." 

With a sigh, Allen climbed out of a small boat and stepped onto the wooden gangplank, the boards creaking under his black boots. He grabbed the rope and fastened it to a thick peg, the boat swaying softly in the current. Van man jumped onto the gangplank right then and looked at Allen, running a hand through his hair and allowing a light breeze to caress his heated features.

"What do you want to do, Allen?" he asked, his auburn eyes sparkling from under his black bangs.

Without turning away from the captain, he stretched out his hand and helped Merle out of the boat, the pants she wore a little bit too large for her so that huge folds gathered at the rim of her boots. The cat ears which stuck out of the mop of hair on her head twitched lightly in the afternoon breeze, and a blue and yellow parrot which sat on her shoulder nibbled at them, making her giggle.

"I have some businesses to settle in town," Allen replied and looked across the sea, Van following his gaze.

"Businesses ack," the parrot cooed softly in Merle's ear.

The sun was kissing the ocean at the horizon, flooding the bay with an intense orange light. The water was sparkling and white foam was dancing on the top of the waves, huge ships swaying softly with them. The _Black Lady_ was anchored offshore, her black silhouette a strong contrast to the bright sunlight, the sails and the rigging moving gently with the wind. A mountain range with sharp rocks was growing out of the water right beside the mighty ship, creating the entrance of the natural port.

Yells floated through the air, coming from various ships around them and mixing with the different noises from the town. Van saw that another boat was forcing its way through the water, filled with loud pirates from Allen's ship.

"You and Gaddes will accompany me," the captain continued, finally tearing his gaze away from the sea. "And Merle and Kio will sell this stuff, won't you?" He pointed at a chest, Gaddes and Kio were just about to lift out of the boat. It was filled with the fabrics they had taken from the ship of Cesarian merchants.

"Of course!" Merle exclaimed happily. There was nobody who was able to top her in haggling. She could even palm a blunt and brittle sword off on a sea-dog who was armed to the teeth.

"What kind of businesses, Allen?" Van insisted obstinately, arms crossed in front of his chest and eyes narrowed. He hated it to be clueless but the blue-eyed pirate just laughed.

"You'll see, kid!" he replied with a smile and took off his tricorn, only to put it on Van's stubborn head and draw it deep into his face so that it almost covered his eyes. "Don't be so curious."

Van just snorted and pushed the hat out of his eyes with his index finger, glaring at his captain.

"And Kio," Allen addressed the man whose impressive belly was almost tearing apart his shirt. Two buttons were already amiss. "You keep an eye on our cat-girl here. We all know how fast she can be."

"Hey!" Merle complained, her ears twitching dangerously but Allen stopped her by placing his hand on her head, gently stroking over her silky hair.

"And you make some profit out of the fabrics, okay?!" he said, winking conspiratorially at her and her bright blue eyes lit up. "I count on you."

"Aye!" Merle saluted and grinned, showing her pointed canine teeth.

"Aye aye ack," the parrot echoed, causing a scowl to appear on Allen's features.

Couldn't that damn bird just fly away? It was freely sitting on Merle's shoulder, no string chaining it to the cat-girl but no, it rather remained there – far out of his reach - and kept looking at Allen with these malicious, little eyes. He was pretty sure that if the parrot had had lips, it would have grinned at him insidiously, knowing that he couldn't hurt it as long as it stayed with Merle.

"Well then, let's go!" Allen finally said, breaking the little staring-contest with the bird and motioned for Gaddes and Van to follow him.

Together they entered the pier of Puerto de las Cabezas Caras, the port of the expensive heads.

The town at the coast of the Isla de las Gaviotas was named after the ones who stayed there most of the time; men on whose heads were offered enormous amounts of money. Allen, of course, was by far at the top of the list. And though they would drown in money, no pirate would ever betray another one. It was some kind of unwritten codex and because of that, none of their hunters ever found the port, not even the royal fleet which was searching for them since the beginning of piracy.

Maybe, another reason was that the town couldn't be found on any public map. It had been built by pirates and was protected by pirates. None of them would gave away its position. Plus the island was only one big rock somewhere lost within an endless expanse of water, far away from the trading routes and islands with civilization. It belonged to the Islas Solitarias, the lonely islands, only inhabited by a huge colony of seagulls which gave the island of the pirates its name.

Three ships were anchored at the quay, their dark wooden hulls towering ominously above them. It was dark now, the sun hidden behind the horizon together with the last light of the day. Pulleys clinked and the heavy and wet wood of the ships creaked when they moved from side to side. Men were sitting on boxes at the pier, talking and waiting for their ship to be loaded. Their deep laughter filled the air together with the typical scent of salt and fish.

Van's auburn eyes wandered around, scanning across the pier and finally rested on Gaddes' dark figure, walking beside Allen in front of him. The tall man pointed up to the stern of one of the ships at the quay and the captain grinned lightly when he read the name; _Northern Star_.

The lanterns along their way flooded the street with a dim, yellowish light, the flames protected by glass. The noises of the town hovered in the air, shouts and laughter echoing into the nightsky. Little stones crunched under their boots when they entered the main street and their hands went instinctively to the hilts of their swords.

Not that pirates liked to kill each other but it was dark and most of the customers in the taverns had already drunken past their be-nice-limit. Needless to say that it was easy to pick a quarrel. Better be careful than dead.

"Where are we going?" Van asked and looked around, his muscles tensing when his gaze rested on a man who was running with his tongue along the blade of his dagger. His bald head reflected the light of the lanterns.

"We'll meet someone at _The Hung Pirate_," Allen answered and his eyes restlessly scanned the place.

Different shops were hemming the street between all the taverns, ranging from weapon stores to groceries. Orange sparks filled the air around an old forge and a noisy pack of monkeys was stealing bananas from a stand outside a store, the owner chasing them loudly across the street. The dark silhouettes of palm trees were visible against the dark-blue sky, their pinnate fronds moving softly in the evening breeze while they grazed the roof-tops of the wooden houses.

A bashed nameplate showed the three pirates the way to their tavern, a loud crowd standing in front of it.

Gaddes pushed the door open and the noises and different scents hit them like a mighty wave. It was extremely loud in the tavern, men yelling across the huge room and trying to drown each others voices. A few heads turned around when they entered the tavern, their owners watching them, interested.

The room was stuffed with tables, pirates who were playing cards and were discussing loudly sitting on rotten chairs around them. Thick, wooden pillars supported the ceiling and worn-out stairs led up to a gallery, doors which belonged to the guest rooms hemming it. The bar was situated at the other end of the room, a crowd gathering in front of it and the strong scent of rum impregnating the stuffy air.

The three men fought their way through the full tavern, using their elbows not only once. Van suddenly backed away when an old man stumbled against him, looking at him with dull blue eyes and in the light of the torch behind him, Van could see the deep wrinkles in his face.

"Your eyes, young man," he slurred and showed the remains of his yellow-stained teeth, making Van think he would suffocate for the man was breathing a thick rum-cloud in his face. If he came close to a torch, he would catch fire, that was for sure. "Only demons have such eyes. Red like the blood they shed."

Van tightened the grip around the hilt of his sword, his eyes widening. The old man took another step in his direction, pointing with a skinny finger at him. But before he could reach Van's chest, a strong hand grasped the man's thin wrist and shoved him away, waking Van from his daze.

"I'm sure, he's not a demon and I would suggest you leave him alone." Allen's voice was dangerously low and he drew the tricorn deeper into Van's face. "Come, Van. Don't listen to him. He's totally drunk."

With a last glance at the old man, Van turned away and followed Allen and Gaddes through the crowd and past the stairs, one thought nagging at the back of his mind; drunks and children always told the truth.

"Look what the flood washed ashore," an amused voice suddenly said from behind and made the three pirates turn around.

On the staircase which led down from a gallery stood a young woman, not older than Van. Her beautiful face was framed by shoulder-long, deep-brown hair which curled lightly at the ends and was tamed by a red bandana, her rosy lips turned into a mischievous smile and her bright brown eyes dancing with laughter. Leathery strings covered her slim wrists and two silver rings sparkled at her fingers, her upper torso wrapped in a white blouse without sleeves and a thick black belt stressing her slim waist. Her long legs stuck in a pair of green and tight-fitting pants which vanished in black boots, a long sword attached to her side.

She was the youngest captain sailing the ocean, the ship with crew inherited from her father. She was the only female captain sailing the ocean and her reputation was similar to Allen's; crafty but always polite. She was Allen's biggest rival and the only woman on this entire planet who ever dared to turn him down; Anne Flint, captain of the _Northern Star_.

"Schezar, Gaddes," she greeted with a nod, not able to hide the grin, and her eyes sparkled when she added, "Van."

The young woman was rewarded with a nod and a slight blush that Van wasn't able to stop from spreading over his cheeks. It glowed from out of the shadows of his hat but he refused to turn away and hide it. She already knew.

"My captain Anne," Allen said, surprised, and bowed deeply, his eyes never leaving her form. "It's been a long time! What brings you here?"

"I could ask ye the same," she replied bluntly, descending the steps and the sword in the striking red sheath swayed back and forth with her elegant movements. "They raised the amount o' money offered fer yer head. S'pose some poor merchants crossed yer way again?"

"Maybe," the blond-haired captain answered and Van saw the grin tug at his lips. "Jealous?"

"Jealous?" the brown-eyed woman echoed and gave a laugh, some heads turning to look at her. "On ye? In yer dreams, Schezar! Why should I want every royal fleet te chase me?"

"Ah, you see that I'm a popular man and women tend to swoon over celebrities," Allen replied with a wink and a smile, causing Anne to roll her expressive eyes.

"Me refusal is naggin' at yer ego, doesn't it?" she said with a grin, attempting to force her way through the crowd to the bar.

"Not in the least," Allen exclaimed, following her and Van and Gaddes just shook their heads. Their captain had turned into an eager bird, performing its mating dance. "It's more like a challenge."

"Allen, didn't you say that we wanted to meet someone here?" Van asked impatiently, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He always felt the urge to beat some sense into Allen when a woman - once again -turned his head. The blue-eyed captain was quite susceptible to it.

Anne turned to look at Van with curiosity glowing in her brown orbs and he felt the heat stream into his face again. "Are ye plannin' somethin', Schezar?" she addressed Allen who was still shamelessly looking at her.

"Nothing important," he replied with a shrug and leaned casually against the wooden pillar beside her. "Minor robberies and blackmailing, the usual. But I think he's right and that we should leave now. Just one thing. I heard that businesses weren't running that well these days."

The young captain snorted and turned away from Van's intense auburn eyes. "Not good is the understatement o' the year! They're controllin' the routes like never b'fore! They even caught Hagard, some days ago!"

"Old Hagard?" the three of them uttered, their eyes wide, making Anne frown and scratch her head.

"Gods, Schezar! Where 'ave ye been?" she asked. "Everyone knows 'bout it! They sank his ship an' killed almost 'alf o' his crew! He'll probably 'ang next week!"

"What?" Allen whispered, shocked. "But how could that happen? Old Hagard was the last one I would have expected to be caught!"

"Everyone said that but it's dangerous now," Anne said quietly, her features hard while she was watching the bar. "This damn black ship is destroyin' everythin'."

Out of the corner of his eye, Van saw Allen tense and a strange look crossed his face. It was one of shock and disbelief and something, Van had never seen on his captain before...fear. "Black ship?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah, ye should inform yerself better, Schezar," she answered, looking him directly in the eye. "It's also destroyin' yer good reputation cause everyone thinks it's ye who's commitin' all these murders. Ye know, there aren't many black ships sailin' the ocean."

"Actually, only mine is left," Allen whispered, more to himself than to the three pirates around him who were suddenly very quiet.

"Yeah, only yer one," Anne broke the silence, glancing at Van who was watching Allen attentively, the torches in the tavern causing soft shadows to dance over his body.

"But even if I think that ye're the biggest asshole on this planet an' that ye would do everythin' te get what ye want, I know that ye would never kill someone out o' pure fun...Yer father respected the codex an' so do ye, Allen. Only a bunch o' demons is able te do somethin' like that."

A faint but honest smile crossed Allen's features when he looked at his rival. "Thank you, Anne," he said but she waved it off, shaking her beautiful head and her skilfully manufactured earrings clinked.

"Don't start like this, Schezar, we're rivals or did ye already forget that?" Her eyes sparkled when she turned away from him in order to yell across the tavern, "Galef! Otar! Drag yer lazy asses 'ere! We're leavin'!"

Two mighty backs rose from the mass of laughing and drinking men at the bar, turning around and forcing their way through the people towards their captain. They were unnaturally tall, their eyes narrowed and their faces full of scars. Their muscular arms were covered with tattoos and Van was sure he needed both of his arms to encircle one of their ones. He took a step backwards when they stomped past him, fearing that they would break all of his bones if they jostled him, even if it was by accident.

"Flint!" a shout from the bar reached them through the veil of noises around them. "Your giants didn't pay for their rum!"

Anne sighed and rummaged through a little bag at her belt, a light clinking sound emitting from it. "Is 'bout time we make haul again," she muttered under her breath and with a final grunt, she closed the bag without taking anything out if it and threw it across the mass of heads towards the bar.

"Farewell fer now, Schezar," she said and walked past Allen, her lips curled into a smile. "Keep a stiff upper lip."

Passing Gaddes and Van, the smile turned into a grin and she winked at him, receiving a glare from these unfathomable eyes of his.

* * *

Orange sunlight glimmered over the calm sea, flooding a huge room in an old aristocratic house which was situated on a cliff, overlooking a seaport. The sound of waves crashing against sharp rocks and the soft and already hoarse cries of seagulls filled the salty air, the pale mystic moon and its little child rising over the horizon. Lightening flashed across the dark sky in the distance, a storm romping about over the sea. 

A light rustling noise could be heard above the faint roaring of the sea, a curtain which was made of white silk and worked through with golden strings gently dragging over polished wooden ground.

The warm breeze was ruffling the short hair of a young woman, the reflections of the dying sunlight dancing over silky strands of honey-blond hair. Her head was placed on her arms which were crossed under her chin, long eyelashes resting on cream-coloured cheeks. She was kneeling in front of the open window and her slim body was leaning on the window sill, rising and falling with regular breaths.

She stirred and her eyes shot open when a quiet but demanding knock reached her from the door. Emerald orbs reflected the sunlight, an intense green sparkling with the last remains of the day.

The young woman straightened slowly and ran a hand over her face and through her dishevelled hair, trying to chase the tiredness away. Various pieces of clothing were scattered around her on the floor, ranging from petticoats of white and light beige colour over expensive dresses of red and blue with frills which seemed to compete with each other, concerning pomposity, to a dangerous looking corset. The foothills of this 'landscape' reached to her four-poster bed at the other side of the room, long, silky curtains of a dark red cascading from the ceiling, the fabric a labyrinth of folds.

"Come in," she said unenthusiastically, as if knowing that she wouldn't like what was awaiting her.

"Dear, I was just coming to see if --" the soft deep voice trailed off, Gouvernor Kanzaki eyeing the mess in his daughter's room with slight horror.

He was dressed in one of his best clothing. A light blue jacket with golden cufflinks which was slightly waisted, embraced his broad shoulders. The ends of the white shirt he wore underneath stuck out at the sleeves and the fabric swayed softly with his movements. Sparkling golden buttons went down the buttonline together with extraordinary frills and his legs stuck for a half in black breeches and for the other half in white pantyhoses, a silver buckle sparkling at his shoes which were made of the same fabric as was his jacket.

A wig was hiding his own hair (or better to say, the remains of it), long grey locks tumbling down onto his shoulders, giving him the typical look of an aristocrat. It framed his slightly wrinkled face perfectly, his lips pressed into a thin line and his pale brown eyes scanning the room. He finally lost his composure when his gaze fell onto his daughter who stood beside the open window, waiting patiently for him to regain his senses.

"Hitomi, what --?" he started and shook his head, the grey locks swaying from side to side. "I thought you already changed! And you promised me you would stop wearing..." he searched for words, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "That!"

The young woman rolled her eyes. "I just said that I would _think_ about it, I promised nothing," she replied, spreading her arms in protest.

She hated it when her father treated her like a doll, trying to stuff her in some pompous dresses. She liked the clothing, she wore. The simple white blouse with sleeves rolled up to her elbows was perfect for this southern weather; she was always near dying because of heat when she was stuck in such a dress, sweating like mad. She knew why all these _ladies_ were always fanning air into their beautiful faces with some beautiful fans which they were holding in their beautiful hands; it was the only possibility to bear the heat.

And the black breeches, were just practical. Comfortable and plain practical, though she had to admit, not very lady-like. But she had never attached great importance on looking or behaving like a lady. She didn't feel like one either. Plus she tended to step onto the hem of the dresses when running; she felt so trapped in them.

Gouvernor Kanzaki sighed in despair. "What would your mother say if she saw you like that?" he asked, his eyes sad and his shoulders hanging.

Hitomi's intense green eyes flashed. "Keep mother out of that!" she replied angrily. "You don't know what she would have said! Maybe she would have liked that I'm not acting like some spoiled brat!"

A warm smile spread across her father's lips. Oh, how much she resembled her mother right now. He had wanted to yell at her, explain her that a lady didn't dress the way she did but seeing her like this, with her bright green eyes so full of life and stubbornness, all his anger melted away. He knew what his dear wife would have said; she would have loved her daughter even more for it.

"Hitomi, please," her father said softly and closed the wooden door, taking a step into the room and Hitomi crossed her arms in front of her chest.

A seagull flew past the window just then, crying hoarsly and its white feathers glowed in the orange light. The young woman glanced at the bird, watching it soar high into the air and disappear in the distance, a longing look crossing her features.

"Princess Millerna just arrived," Gouvernor Kanzaki continued quietly and suddenly had her full attention. "I beg you to dress properly, at least for her."

"Millerna arrived?" Hitomi replied and her eyes glowed with anticipation.

"Yes, she is --"

A loud squeal interrupted him, followed by intense rumbling and shouts. It sounded as if a bunch of little kids was running up the wooden stairs to her room, the carpet hardly able to muffle the stomping footsteps. A second later, the door behind Gouvernor Kanzaki burst open and a young woman stumbled into the room.

She was holding innumerable layers of different fabrics and frills in her arms, obviously belonging to her pink dress. Curly blond hair framed her beautiful face, porcelain cheeks flushed from running up the stairs. Her bright violet eyes which reminded Hitomi of an exotic orchid were glowing brightly and a huge grin was plastered across her face, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, and for a brief moment Hitomi thought that her corset would burst, surrendering under the pressure.

"Ah, Princess Millerna," Gouvernor Kanzaki said and bowed respectfully, seeing the princess in the doorway.

"Gouvernor," the blond haired woman replied shortly and nodded at him, her sparkling eyes never leaving Hitomi's form and the grin widened even more.

"I apologize for my daughter's appearance," he said, glancing briefly at Hitomi who rolled her eyes in response. "But I'm sure she was just about to change."

Millerna shook her head and her long hair swayed with the motion. "Don't worry, I'm used to that," she replied, finally letting go of her dress and the fabric rustled to the ground, leaving her in pure perfection. "I'll take care of everything. Your daughter will be pretty for dinner."

"Thank you," the gouvernor said in relief and left for the door. "I'll see you at dinner then."

With a nod and a smile, he walked through the door and closed it quietly behind him, leaving the two women in silence. But not for long. Another squeal escaped Millerna's rosy lips and she gathered her dress again, storming towards Hitomi. It was a sheer mystery to Hitomi how this woman could run with that dress _without _losing her grace!

Slim arms wrapped around her when Millerna literally jumped at her, hugging her tightly and laughing heartily. The joy which seemed to surround the princess like an overwhelming aura was infectious, Hitomi soon joining the giggling and hugged the blond woman back.

"It's been a long time," Hitomi said smiling, Millerna's silky hair tickling over her face.

"It is! It is!" the princess replied and pulled back, looking her friend up and down, laughter dancing in her lilac-coloured eyes. "But you haven't changed a single bit!"

"Neither did you," Hitomi stated with a grin, looking the princess up and down as well. There she was, Millerna Sarah Aston, third princess of Asturia, grinning as if she had just peeked into a man's dressing room. "Still the same pompous princess who looks enviably good in these...things!"

"Missed you, too, 'Tomi," Millerna sighed and ruffled Hitomi's short hair. "Missed you, too."

The sun dove under the horizon while the two women were sitting on Hitomi's bed, talking like they hadn't seen each other for an eternity. Well, in some ways, one year and a half were like an eternity. They didn't even notice that a maid sneaked into the room and ignited all the lamps with a candle. Millerna told Hitomi about the countries she had visited, the men who had asked for her hand what she, of course, had rejected and a lot more, her friend listening patiently. Ever tried to interrupt Millerna? Forget it. That woman was deaf when she was talking.

To Hitomi's great disappointment, Millerna didn't forget what she had promised the gouvernor; namely, forcing his daughter into a dress.

"Oh, come on, Millerna!" Hitomi whined, backing away from the princess who had one hand on her hip and was waving a light green dress with the other one. "You know that I hate these ones!"

"What did they do to you?" Millerna replied uncomprehendingly, a look of pure impatience written across her once calm features.

"Well, they're uncomfortable and totally impractical!" the young woman explained, slightly outraged. She already saw herself stalking through the hallways in the dress, Millerna was holding in her hand, and she didn't like the sight. But maybe if she irritated the princess a bit more, she would wave the hand with the dress harder and the sensitive fabric would simply break...

"Hitomi!" Millerna exclaimed in despair. Actually, the princess was the only one who could compete with Hitomi's stubbornness – and could sometimes even surpass it. "I didn't know you were so oversensitive! It's only for dinner! Even you will survive one or two hours in a dress! Stop being so dramatic!"

"I wouldn't complain if I looked like you in a dress!" Hitomi replied grumpily, crossing her arms in front of her chest again and directed her eyes to the ground.

"Don't be so childish!" Millerna sighed and let her arms drop, giving the green-eyed girl a suspicious look. The lamps were illuminating the room with a dim light, sending lively shadows over the walls.

"I'm not childish!" Hitomi grumbled, without looking up. "It's a fact!"

Millerna rolled her eyes and took a few steps in her direction. "It is not and I'll prove it to you!" She pointed with the dress at Hitomi. "Now put this on or you'll see me in rage for the first and last time in your life!"

Hitomi sighed in surrender when the green dress flew through the air and landed right on top of her head, hiding Millerna's grinning face from her sight.

Another thing she hated on dresses was that one couldn't put them on without help! Not that she was clumsy but she always managed to entangle her legs in the heap of petticoats. Why wasn't one enough? She felt like such a baby, not even able to dress herself, Millerna freeing her legs and pulling her to her feet again. It was always the same with –

"Millerna!" Hitomi suddenly gasped, every bit of air pressed out of her lungs when Millerna pulled violently at the strings of the corset. Was that woman trying to suffocate her or what? "Not that tight!"

"But it has to be!" the princess complained, making Hitomi shake her head hard for there was no air to speak anymore.

The young woman inhaled deeply when Millerna released the strings, cursing the one who had created the corset. It definitely had been a man! She couldn't believe that a woman would want other ones to suffer like that.

"Oh my god, Hitomi!" the princess suddenly squealed and pointed eagerly at the mirror in front of the both of them, making Hitomi jerk out of her thoughts. "Look! You're a girl!"

The poke Millerna received for that comment would definitely leave a dark bruise. Chuckling quietly, she rubbed her ribs and watched Hitomi who was looking at her reflection in the mirror.

A beautiful girl in a light-green dress was staring back at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, strands of honey-blond hair falling into her face. The corset embraced her slim waist and the silky green fabric fell almost smoothly down to her feet. A pink gem was sparkling at a fragile chain which lay calmly around her neck, earlier hidden by the blouse.

"I really don't know what commodore Shephard sees in you," Millerna said quietly, placing both of her hands on Hitomi's shoulders and grinned at her in the mirror.

"Maybe he saw me in a dress," she replied, smiling uneasily and turned away.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Millerna asked softly and walked around her, wanting to see her eyes but Hitomi stared obdurately at the ground.

"I don't want to be with him," she whispered and glanced up, meeting Millerna's warm eyes.

"Nobody said you had to," the princess replied and hugged her depressed friend, watching through the still open window the lights of the port dance over the water. "You're not obliged to do anything by going on this journey with him. You know, I always envied you for your father. He would never force you to do something, you don't want to do. This journey is just to get to know the commander, nothing more. And don't forget, I'm also on this ship. If he annoys you in any way, just tell me and I'll show him what real annoyance is!"

"But your father doesn't force you to marry these men either," Hitomi said and pulled back, looking at the princess with narrowed eyes.

"No, he's totally angry," Millerna stated with a lop-sided grin. "He doesn't understand anything, always asking me what I didn't like on this one or why I rejected that one and so on."

Hitomi took a step away from her friend, making the fabric of her dress rustle and looked at Millerna intensely. "You still didn't tell him about Dryden, did you?"

This time, it was Millerna's turn to smile uneasily and look to the ground, avoiding her friend's eyes and allow the silence to engulf them. Hitomi was just about to open her mouth when a shy knock at the door stopped her.

"Dinner is ready, miss Kanzaki," the muffled voice of the maid said from behind the door, making Hitomi groan.

"We're coming!" Millerna answered and turning back to the green-eyed girl, a broad grin spread across her face. "Come on, Tomi," she chirped and her eyes sparkled. "Your fiancé is waiting downstairs."

With a squeal the young woman escaped Hitomi's punch and stormed to the door, her giggling reverberating from the walls. Hitomi chased after her and the noise of their footsteps could be heard everywhere in the house. Nobody would believe them that they were actually eighteen years old. Stopping at the banisters which were hemming the gallery, she watched the princess dash down the stairs as far as her dress was allowing it.

"Hey, Millerna!" Hitomi called, leaning on the banisters and the blond-haired woman glanced up at her. "Thank you."

She saw Millerna's white teeth glow when she grinned up at her. "But this time, I'll win!" she exclaimed and jumped down the last steps, making Hitomi shake her head.

* * *

"They're too late," Van snarled and leaned back into a rotten wooden chair, his feet placed onto the table which definitely had seen better days. The hat was drawn deep into his face and shaded his auburn eyes. 

"Like every time," Allen shrugged and lifted a mug of rum to his lips.

"Who are we going to meet anyway?" the young man asked impatiently, his eyes scanning the tavern attentively.

People were talking everywhere around them, discussing their last robbery or complaining about their horrible hand. A bottle broke and a yell was audible above all the noises in the tavern, two pirates starting a fight in a corner of the room. They were soon surrounded by a shouting crowd, spurring them on and concluding bets. A broad-shouldered man with a dirty apron around his waist was desperately trying to protect his tables, shoving the pugnacious pirates towards the door. An ordinary evening in _The hung Pirate._

"You'll see, kid," Allen answered calmly and nipped at his rum again, making Van snort.

He hated it when Allen called him kid! The captain always acted as if he was completely irresponsible, not able to take care of himself. But he was able to and he could even protect Merle. He had done it for six years before he had met the captain and he could do it again.

"Are you waiting for someone special?" a deep voice suddenly spoke, interrupting Van's thoughts, and he met warm brown eyes in a face full of brown fur when he looked up.

"Ruhm!" Allen greeted and motioned for the wolf-man to sit down. "Was about time you came."

"Had some problems with my crew," Ruhm replied with a scowl and slumped onto a fragile chair, pointing with his huge thumb to the entrance where a pack of wolf-men was mingling with the crowd in the tavern. "Sorry, Allen."

"Nah, it's okay," Allen replied and patted Ruhm on his mighty shoulder. "I really don't want to know what my crew is doing here in town. I just hope I can find them again."

Ruhm grinned and put his huge paws onto the table. "So, one is still missing?" he asked and looked around, a questioning look on his face.

"Yep," Allen answered shortly and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm afraid but I've got to hurt him cause he's making Allen Schezar wait."

A deep laughter escaped Ruhm's throat and he leaned back into his chair, stretching his muscle-packed body and linking his arms behind his head. A smile found its way on his thin lips when his gaze rested on Van who was glaring at them.

"Hey, Van," Ruhm said with a lop-sided smile. "Why so grim?"

"Ruhm, you know quite well that he doesn't need a reason to be grim," Gaddes chuckled but quickly raised his arms in defence when he met Van's flashing eyes. "I was just kidding! Just kidding, Van!"

"I don't know why I accompanied you at all," the young man muttered under his breath and turned away, eyeing the daggers which were sticking in the wooden walls.

"Because you're curious, Van," Allen replied and grinned over the brim of his mug. "May I remind you, you asked me if you could join us."

Van turned around and a look of pure annoyance was written across his tanned features, his eyes glowing bright red. "It's not that I --"

Within the blink of an eye, the expression was gone and Van had leapt out of the chair with a swift movement, making the three pirates at the table raise their brows in surprise. He unsheathed the sword which was hidden in the blue sheath at his waist, his trained body tense like a bow-string and stared at his chair – which was vibrating.

Chair legs scraped over the wooden ground when Allen, Gaddes and Ruhm jumped to their feet, watching Van's chair which was jumping right now, with wide eyes. He held his sword firmly with both of his hands, the smooth blade sparkling in the torch-light, ready to lay down whatever would appear.

The termite-eaten boards bent dangerously and the chair tipped over, dust and little stones coming out of the slits between the wood. Van took a step backwards and it was when the boards splintered open with a cracking noise, a cloud of grey dust bursting out of the hole.

A wave of violent coughs shook Van, conversations dying down and various heads turning around. His eyes widened when the dust faded and he saw what had crawled out of the depths of the earth; a stocky man was standing in the hole, a spade in his claw-like hands. A thin circle of grey hair was surrounding his bald head, a bulky nose with whiskers around it creating the center of his round face and his small brown eyes flickered worriedly around.

"Am I too late?" he asked, revealing his long and glowing white incisors.

"Allen, please tell me that we didn't wait for him!" Van exclaimed, looking at his captain with pleading, maroon eyes and pointing at Moleman with his sword.

"I would say we are complete," the blue-eyed captain replied with a grin and put up the table again which had been thrown over, making Van roll his eyes and drop the sword.

A huge grin spread across Moleman's face when he spotted the captain. "Allen Schezar," he said and climbed out of the hole. "What a pleasure to see --"

"Damn you, Moleman!" a shout interrupted him and turning around, they saw the barkeeper drag someone out of the tavern, shaking his fist. "This time you're gonna pay for the boards!"

Moleman swallowed hard and turned back to Allen, nervously rolling his whiskers between his fingers. "Well, you see that I don't have much time," he began but Allen waved his hand impatiently.

"There's enough time, don't worry," he said firmly and after the men had gathered their chairs again, they sat down around the table. "Did you get the information I asked for?"

It was like an insult. "Of course!" Moleman answered, his chest almost bursting with pride. "If there's one being on this planet who's able to get that information, it's me!"

"Fine," Ruhm interfered and leaned onto the table. "Now that's clear, I'll hopefully get to know why I'm actually here."

"Be patient, Ruhm," Allen replied and placed a hand on the wolf-man's furry arm. "Moleman?"

Van brushed the dust slowly off his arms and shirt, the sword in its sheath again. His eyes were fixed on Moleman, glowing with something between curiosity and wonderment about what the heck Allen did plan again!

His dark brows shot up in surprise when the mole pulled a rolled up map out of his brown bag which obviously seemed to have no bottom at all. With skilled fingers he unrolled the huge sheet of paper and pinned it to the table with two sparkling daggers.

"Hey, they look exactly like my ones," Gaddes stated with evident surprise in his voice, his hands involuntarily going to his belt and his brown eyes widened. "These are mine!"

Without turning away from Moleman, Allen and Ruhm reached up and pushed Gaddes back down onto the chair from which he had risen seconds ago.

"Well," Moleman began and wrinkled his nose, all eyes on him though some didn't look that nice. He was just glad that looks couldn't kill. "She's there, right now."

His short, thick index finger crushed down onto an archipelago, dirt crumbling from his hand on the map. The pirates around him leaned closer and their noses almost touched the map, trying to see where he was pointing at.

"Joya Verde?" Van asked, the words coming over his lips like a melody. "What's there?"

"The green jewel," Allen mused and leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "The island is under Gouvernor Kanzaki's charge and belongs to Asturia, so it's no surprise that she's there. But I guess that she isn't going to stay there for too long?"

"Only this night, to be exactly," Moleman replied, his voice a conspiratorial whisper, causing several brows to knit in confusion. "Her ship will leave the port around noon and they'll take the route across the Southern Sea past these forsaken islands," his finger rushed over the yellowed map which showed a gigantic ocean, situated between two huge continents and sprinkled with hundreds of islands, "to Rhodos."

"Is he waiting for her there?" the captain of the _Black Lady_ asked and scratched his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Of course," Moleman nodded and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Though her father doesn't know. I don't know why she didn't tell him."

"Allen!" Ruhm almost burst, slamming his hands on the table. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Allen's lips curled into a mischievous smile which almost reached to his ears. "We're gonna kidnap Millerna Sarah Aston," he stated calmly as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"We what?!" the three pirates around him yelled in unison, making some eyes look up from their cards.

"You're attracting a little bit too much publicity for my taste," Allen said casually and emptied his mug of rum with one mighty gulp.

"But Allen!" Ruhm exclaimed desperately, Gaddes and Van watching their captain, speechless. "You can't...it's not...I mean...why?"

"I have my reasons, believe me," the blond captain answered with a cold smile. "But you don't need to know."

"This is a suicide mission!" the wolf-man was staring at Allen with wide eyes, not able to believe what he was going to do. "She's probably protected by a good half of the royal army!"

"And that's why I need your help," Allen replied and pointed at the map. "It's better when we attack with two ships. They'll be totally surprised and intimidated."

"Allen, I don't know if this is such a good --" Ruhm began quietly but trailed off when he met Allen's eyes.

"You owe me, Ruhm," he explained and straightened slowly. "And I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary."

A deep growl was forming in Ruhm's throat but it didn't come over his lips, knowing that there was absolutely no way out. A pirate's word was a pirate's word.

"Fine," he sighed in surrender and a huge grin spread across Allen's face.

"Well then, we have to hurry up, gentlemen," the captain cheered, his voice full of enthusiasm and his bright blue eyes shining. "We can't make a princess wait!"

Van was staring at Allen with pure disbelief written across his features, one thought on his mind.

That man was completely crazy.

* * *

Tbc...

* * *

**Legendary Super Candyce: **blushs Thankiez!!!! Lol, obviously, I like Van more than Folken but don't worry, he's in the story, too!!!

**snow blossoms: **/////// Thank you!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad you liked it!!!

**hitomi-chan: **cackles I didn't tell you cause you didn't ask :P Pirates are cool, aren't they???? I'm glad I could get you hooked!! And you what?! Never saw Pirates of the Caribbean?? Girl, it's a must!! Johnny Depp + kajal and dreadlocks drools!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!!!

**Ryuu Angel: **whistles innocently Liked the chapter? Liked the surprise?? Muahaha!!! I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your alter-ego and put her in the story without asking for permission:P Satisfied with your role?? I mean, you aren't a member of Allen's crew (sorries, couldn't let you sign in cause I would have had my hands full with trying to pry you off of my poor Vannie snickers and hides behind Van's back, sticking her tongue out at Ryuu) but hey, you have your own ship!!! Hehe. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Was a bit worried about that Aye aye hugs you like mad Thanks for your wonderful review!! You made me laugh so hard!!!! Thanks!!!

**Avaris Sky: **Ah yes, wanted to kick myself for that! I also had this idea of Hitomi smacking Van on the ship but it came to my mind after I had posted the story uu Anyways, I found another way to make her meet the pirates cackles Hope you can forgive me Thanks!!!

**Aya-chan: **points at chapter There's Hitomi!! Thank you!!

**kcarrie: **blushs Glad you liked it!! And see, I finished my other story!!! Thanks!!!

**CRAZY Dragon: **Hallo!!!! So liest man sich wieder!! Freut mich, dass du die story gefunden hast, und dass sie dir gefällt!! Danke!!

**Spirit0: **blushs like mad Thanks so much!!!!! And you're not into movies?? I admit, I'm addicted

**Aeka-himme: **Hiya, girl!!! I'm glad you liked it and of course, Van's always hot!! giggles and hugs her beloved Van-plushie Thanks for reviewing and thanks for the advice!! Helped me to clear out my messy mind Hope you'll also update soon!!!

**Paige Moonsword: **blushs Thankiez!! And no, I'm not mad at you for not working on your story!! Just take your time, I'll wait till then grins and rubs hands

**SabineballZ: **Hiya!!! Freut mich, dass du es magst Und hah, ich konnte sogar eine Frage beantworten! Hitomi ist kein Pirat!!! Die andere Frage...Harhar!! Musst'e noch warten!!! Danke!!!

**little fairy: **Glad you like it!!! And yes, go and watch the movie!! Johnny!! licks her fingers

**Dragonfirebal713: **blushs Thank you!! Well, you see, Tomi's not a pirate but she'll be cool, don't worry

**A/N: **Guess what? I've nothing to say!! Bwahahaha!! Am I sick?! feels temperature Nope, I'm fine!! Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this!!! And "Joya Verde" means "Green Jewel" and is the name of an island but I think that was clear, wasn't it?!

Till next chapter,

Dariel


	3. Exciting indeed

Chapter 3 Exciting indeed

* * *

"Dammit, be careful with this cargo!" an angry voice echoed into the bright blue sky, making some seagulls flee from the masts of a huge ship, not without protesting loudly.

Five men were standing on the polished deck, pulling with all their strength on an arm-thick rope which went through a pulley and encircled a heap of heavy boxes. They were swaying a few meters above the surface of the pier but the rope refused to move any centimeter further, stuck in the pulley. A shout tore the monotone roaring of the sea and the five men threw themselves into the rope.

A whipping noise could be heard when the rope tore, sending the men stumbling over the deck and the boxes crashing onto the pier. Expensive glasses broke, spilling their contents across the ground and soaking the wooden planks with rose-scented perfumes. Laughter and curses filled the salty air.

Hitomi groaned from her position – slumped over the railing with her arms dangling, a true example for unbroken enthusiasm – and rolled her green eyes. This could only mean that the loading of the ship was delayed yet again. But she should be happy. She would stay another half an hour longer in her homeport. Hitomi sighed, her honey-blond strands swaying in a chilly breeze.

"Oh, come on, Hitomi!" a cheerful but yet slightly annoyed voice said beside her, a delicate hand shaking her. "It's not the end of the world!"

Slowly, Hitomi looked up and met Millerna's bright violet eyes. Her curly, blond hair was tamed by a pink ribbon and an impatient expression was adorning her features – just the typical spoiled princess when something wasn't going the way she wanted to. Hitomi could do nothing but grin.

"You only see the disadvantages in this," Millerna continued, spreading her arms and making her dress sway. "You will spend some wonderful days with the nicest and most beautiful princess on whole Gaea who, by the way, is your best friend. You should feel honoured, girl!"

"Of course, Your Highness," Hitomi replied with a mocking bow, not able to bite down the grin.

"And you will finally leave this small island of yours and see the world!" The grin on Hitomi's face vanishing instantly. "If it wasn't for me you would never leave this place!"

Hitomi nodded lightly, her eyes scanning the landscape in front of her. Innumerable houses were surrounding the port, filling the plain in front of the mountain range and their white façades reflected the intense sunlight. An ocean of roofs was sparkling in different shades of red, the whole city glimmering with the tropical heat of the southern latitudes. Colourful parrots were chasing each other between the feathery palm trees, their voices mixing with the cries of the monkeys and almost drowned the noises of the people in the streets. In the distance, lush green mountains were rising above the silhouette of the city, guarding it with stoic calmness. Joya Verde, her island, her green jewel.

"Nah, don't worry." Millerna patted her friend softly on the shoulder. "Your little island will still be here when you return. The change will do you only good."

"I know," Hitomi replied and smiled.

They were on board the _Hunter_, commodore Shephard's ship. The heavy wood creaked under the pressure of the waves which were swapping violently against the mighty hull, a strong wind chasing them across the see and making the shining white sails swell impatiently. The whole ship seemed like a proud but nervous horse which couldn't wait to finally gallop across the land.

"My Lady Hitomi!" a deep voice interrupted her thoughts, making her groan.

Turning around, she spotted commodore Shephard stride in her direction. He wore a dark uniform which molded perfectly against his muscular figure, his short, black hair sparkling in the sunlight. Ice-blue eyes were looking her up and down, a smile spreading across his young and undeniable handsome features. Yes, she admitted that he was good-looking, the only problem was that he knew it, too. Inwardly, Hitomi grinned at the similarity between ship and owner.

"I think it's better if I leave you two lovebirds alone," Millerna whispered and chuckled when she saw Hitomi's green eyes flashing at her.

The honey-blond watched the princess leave, trying to stab her with her glares. She still had to pick a few bones with her so-called friend, the fact that Millerna had once again managed to stuff her in one of these damn dresses being number one on the list.

"I'm very sorry," the commodore's deep voice suddenly apologized and he caught her completely off guard by grabbing her hand and placing a brief kiss on her knuckles.

Luckily, Shephard had his eyes closed or he would have seen the disgusted look on her face. Hitomi felt like snatching her hand back and cleaning it at her lovely dress. Damn those habits.

"It seems as if our departure is delayed once again," he said when he looked up, smiling broadly at her. "But if I was the god who guarded this island, I wouldn't let you go either. The island will be a mere green rock without you for it'll lose its shine with your absence."

Though she knew that it were only some meaningless words from the mouth of an arrogant man, she couldn't stop herself from blushing and directing her gaze away from his intense eyes. Hitomi hated herself therefore for it was only boosting his ego.

"Then, how long will the loading last?" she asked quietly, daring to look up and hold his stare.

"Not long, half an hour maybe," he replied with yet another smile and turned away after looking her over a last time, leaving to give orders to his men.

And that was another trait she didn't like on him; he couldn't asses time. It turned out that 'not long' was more than two hours. More and more boxes had arrived at the pier, Hitomi watching tiredly how everything was lifted onto the deck and how her father was rummaging through her stuff, checking if she had everything with her.

It made her smile. His always present worry, his fussing over her, his protectiveness and his slight possessiveness. Over the years, he had truly gained some motherly fashions. He would never admit it but it was hard for him to let her go. She knew it because it was hard for her to leave.

She noticed with a frown commodore Shephard speak to her father. A bunch of men in the same uniform like the captain (though without the golden stripes on their shoulders and the forbidden arrogant amount of badges attached to their chests) was swarming around her, carrying boxes down into the depths of the wooden hull or tying several ropes around the railing in an useless attempt to tame the sails.

After a short nod at the captain, Gouvernor Kanzaki stalked towards his daughter, his grey locks swaying in the wind. The click clack of his polished heels on the wooden boards was almost drowned by the shouts of the men on the deck and the young woman instinctively folded her hands, knowing it was time to say goodbye.

"The captain said they had finished loading," he announced and smiled proudly at her, admiring the sight of his stubborn daughter in that light green dress Millerna had picked for her, shimmering layers of silky fabric tumbling down to the ground. She could look like a lady if she just wanted to.

"Don't look at me like that," Hitomi grumbled and shot her father a dark look, before crossing her arms in front of her chest and turning away. "I know it looks ridiculous."

He could do nothing but smile. Exactly like her mother. "No, you look truly beautiful," he replied quietly, making Hitomi scowl and mutter something under her breath that sounded like an annoyed "Yeah, sure."

"You know, nobody's looking right now," her father continued in a conspiratorial whisper and with a mischievous smile on his slightly wrinkled lips, making her suspiciously crack open an eye. "And you might just allow your old man to hug you quickly."

She couldn't stop the grin from tugging her lips upwards when she threw her arms around her father's neck, giggling like a little girl. Hitomi inhaled deeply, the scent of the paste which kept his locks in place and the scent of his fresh-washed jacket filling her nostrils; a scent she had grown to link with home.

"I'll miss you a lot, starfish," the gouvernor whispered into Hitomi's short hair and chuckled deeply when she groaned into his jacket in reply, sounding like an old, put out sea lion.

"Dad!" she whined and pulled away, only to reward her father with an angry gleam in her green eyes. "How often did I tell you to not call me that?! I don't like this nickname!"

"I know, starfish, that's why I'm using it," he simply replied and kissed his scowling daughter on the forehead. After all, he was used to it. "Just promise me to be careful, okay? You don't know what's waiting for you around the next corner."

"I promise," the young woman sighed and smiled. Yep, motherly indeed.

Ruffling her hair once more, the gouvernor turned around and headed for the gangway which led down to the pier, followed by several other men who didn't belong to the crew. It was loud on the deck, shouts with last instructions filling the air. Millerna fought her way vigorously through the crowd, pushing and shoving and finally, joining Hitomi at the railing.

"Unfasten the ropes!"

At once, strong hands untied the knots in the thick ropes which had held the ship at the quay for the last day. A jerk went through the wood when the wind was caught in the sails, making them swell and shoving the ship way from the pier. With an incredible graze, the ship worked its way slowly through the stirred up water of the port, fine spray soaking the hull. Crying hoarsely, seagulls rose from various gangplanks along the quays and began to circle the masts of the _Hunter_. They would accompany the ship for quite some time now.

Hitomi was waving her father goodbye, watching until he was only a small dot between all the other people at the pier. Some kids were running along the docks, giggling and trying to outrun the ship, without success, of course. Their laughter followed them until they reached the end of the port, all noises now drowned by the splashing of the water and the roaring of the sea.

A light poke in the ribs woke her from her daze and made her look up, only to meet a pair of annoyed, violet eyes. "I swear I'll hurt you if you keep up carrying this my-life-is-a-heap-of-crap look around with you," Millerna stated and rubbed her arms; it was something she always did when she was inwardly almost bursting with excitement.

Hitomi smiled widely at her friend and turned to look at the seemingly endless expanse of sparkling blue ahead of them. "I just hope it'll be an exciting journey."

* * *

The sun was mercilessly burning down onto the dense foliage of lush rainforest, the heat caught between thick trunks of trees which had seen decades pass by like the blink of an eye. A group of monkeys was climbing about in the labyrinth of branches, watching the two men who sat at the small pond underneath them with curious eyes. The soft splashing of the waterfall which fed the pond drowned their quiet cries, cascades of water dancing down over smoothed rocks.

Van dove his tanned hands into the clear water, trying to catch as much of the cool liquid as possible and splashed it right into his face, rubbing the dirt and sweat from his skin.

"Ah, I'll never get used to the temperatures here," Reeden whined beside him, stretching his lazy limbs on the warm rocks and trying to fan air into his face with the frond of a palm tree. "Why did Allen order to get freshwater, now? There is still enough on the ship."

Van stared at the surface of the pond and watched the reflections of the sunlight flicker across it, sparkling drops of water tickling down his cheeks. "Maybe he knows something we don't know," he replied quietly and glanced sideways at Reeden, reddish-brown eyes unreadable.

"You think so?" the short man asked and glanced back at Van, placing both of his hands on his head when he saw Van's eyes dart upwards. "Don't look at my scarf like that! You're not going to take it away from me again!"

A faint smile tugged at Van's lips when he swiftly rose from the ground, pitch-black hair sparkling in the sun. After stretching his arms above his head, he bend down and rolled the barrel which was already filled with water away from the pond. "Come on, we better head back, now."

Reeden mumbled something Van couldn't understand but joined his side and helped him to roll the barrel back to the beach. The voices of the forest followed them along their way, monkeys screaming and parrots complaining loudly about the intruders. They were on a volcanic island which had no name, belonging to a large and forsaken archipelago where they often stopped to stock their freshwater.

The trees were rooted firmly within the cold lava which covered the whole island, black rocks unexpectedly fertile. The two pirates saw bright light twinkle from between the trees ahead of them, indicating that they were reaching the beach. Deep black sand embraced the bay in a semicircle, the little stones burning hot from being in the sun for the whole day. The barrel rolled easily down the little hill to the boat which was patiently waiting, swaying softly with the waves swapping the beach.

Together, the two men lifted the barrel into the boat where some other ones were already lying. Reeden jumped right into the cockleshell, making it sway violently, while Van was slipping out of his boots. After rolling his pants up to his knees, the young man threw his boots into the boat and looked up.

The _Black Lady_ was calmly resting offshore, pitch-black sails rolled up, waiting for their journey to continue. Another ship was anchored a bit aside, white sails swaying lazily in the wind. It was Ruhm's ship, the _Full Moon_.

Allen had asked Ruhm for his help in kidnapping princess Millerna. The wolf-man hadn't been all too happy about it but he hadn't been able to do anything but agree. Now, after they had met here, the two captains were discussing the plan while their crews prepared the ships. Van simply couldn't understand why Allen was doing all that. He knew the captain for eleven years now and there had always been something behind everything the captain had done. So, what was it this time?

"Van," Reeden's quiet voice made the young man snap out of his thoughts and look up. "And even if the captain had planned something, he'll sooner or later tell us about it. Don't worry."

"I know," Van replied with a sigh and wiped his forehead with his bare arm, squinting against the sunlight. "Let's go then."

Cold, smooth stones moved under his feet when he took a step towards the boat, the water splashing around his legs. Van grabbed the rim of the boat with both hands and after inhaling deeply, he shoved it off the shore.

* * *

"You seem bored, Lady Hitomi," a deep and quiet voice said, making her look up and watch the commodore join her side at the bow. Her hair was swirling around her, the wind quite strong at that part of the ship.

"Well, there has been only water these last hours," Hitomi replied, not trying to make her voice sound cheerful; it sounded rather flat. "It's not as if there were any changes."

A soft chuckle escaped the commodore's lips and he looked down at Hitomi with open amusement dancing in his ice-blue eyes. "You don't like the sea?" he asked and turned to look ahead.

"Not yet," she replied and watched white spray dance on the crowns of the waves, before it was mercilessly crushed under the mighty hull of the ship. The wind was violently tugging at her dress, molding it against her curves, and she instinctively crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's only water."

"Beautiful water," he stated and a faint smile played across his lips. The young woman was looking at him with a surprised expression on her face, slightly stunned by the tenderness in his voice.

Noticing her stare, he smiled at her sideways, the arrogant edge in his features softening. "Forgive me my fascination but I lost my heart to the sea, a long time ago," he explained with a wink, his black hair sparkling in the sunlight. "I promise that you'll see something that will lighten your mood."

"And what might that be?" Hitomi asked, rising a sceptical brow and looking at the sea. Water as far as the eye could see.

"We'll soon pass a forsaken archipelago," he told her patiently, his tanned hands resting calmly on the railing. "People say that the sand of those islands is of the most blinding white you can imagine and that the water is sparkling in colours you find no-where else."

"Sounds good," Hitomi replied and looked up at the commodore, her dress rustling in the wind and seagulls crying high in the air.

"Pure beauty," he continued quietly and turned to look at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "Just like you."

As if on command, the redness shot into her cheeks and an uncomfortable warmth spread through her entire body. Hastily, she turned away and cleared her throat, feeling the sudden urge to change the topic. "I-I heard that pirates are attacking quite often these days," Hitomi stuttered.

Didn't Millerna say that she would be there when Hitomi needed her? Well, now, Hitomi did need her but where was the princess? "Aren't you afraid that we could be attacked? I mean, the princess of Asturia is on board of this ship and there is no other one guarding us."

"Don't worry," the commodore replied, smiling at her profile, a light red tinting her cheeks. "We are sailing under the flag of the royal army and a pirate must have drunken a complete barrel of rum if he really dares to attack the ship. Besides, nobody knows that princess Millerna is travelling, apart from us and her family."

"If you say so," Hitomi stated flatly, trying desperately to find a spot where she could focus her eyes on but it was pretty hard for there was only water around her.

"Yes, I do," Shephard said with a brief bow, his piercing eyes never leaving her form.

An unpleasant silence was about to engulf them when a cheerful voice floated across the deck, making them both turn around. A scowl appearing on Hitomi's face.

'So, the princess had finally chosen to rescue that humble friend of hers out of her misery,' Hitomi thought angrily while she was watching Millerna cross the deck with graceful strides. She noticed the mischievous glint in the princess' sviolet eyes and it made her snarl.

"Commodore," she greeted with a sweet smile, revealing her perfectly white teeth. "I'm afraid but I have to take the lady Hitomi away from you for I have important matters to discuss with her. But I'm convinced your presence is needed somewhere else on this ship."

"Maybe," the black-haired man replied, the same sweet but false smile on his face like Millerna. "Then, excuse me, ladies."

After bowing deeply, the commodore turned his broad back to them and walked off. The clicking of his leather boots fainted slowly, Millerna watching him until he joined a group of guards.

"And?" she then asked into the silence, grinning widely at Hitomi. "How was I?"

"Too late," Hitomi grumbled and after glaring at the princess once more, she turned away from her and leaned onto the railing with a long sigh. She let her arms dangle over the railing, the wind dishevelling her honey-blond hair and drops of salty water soaking it.

"You don't get along with each other, do you?" Millerna asked, the grin vanishing from her features and a deep frown appearing instead when she looked down at her downcast friend.

Hitomi gave a humorless laugh. "Oh, believe me, he would quite like to get along with me...the only problem is that I don't want to," she said, her voice muffled for she was leaning over the railing with her whole upper torso. "But I really would like to. It would make father happy."

Millerna groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Then, what's your problem, Hitomi?" she asked, looking at her green-eyed friend through a slit between her delicate fingers. "Why don't you like him?"

"I don't know exactly," she replied with a shrug. "It's his whole behavior, I think. I don't like that he treats me like...like a lady."

"How dare he!" Millerna exclaimed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes, earning a smack on the arm. "Gods, Hitomi! Stop being such a damn women's libber!"

"I am not!" Hitomi complained angrily and looked up to glare at Millerna, her green eyes flashing. "I just don't like being treated as if I was some stupid brat who can't take care of herself! He acts as if I'm unable to breathe for myself without him telling me to do so!"

"You're exaggerating, Hitomi," Millerna sighed in reply and smiled lightly, an amused glint in her eyes. "Just let the guys play the protector. They need it for their ego. And I promise you, you'll like being protected, girl."

"I doubt that," Hitomi grumbled and turned away.

She didn't see the knowing smile play across Millerna's lips. "If you say so," she commented with a shrug and the honey-blond snorted. "But it really makes you feel precious."

Glancing at Millerna out of the corner of her eyes, Hitomi saw the grin on her face and could do nothing but shake her head. "What were you doing anyways when Mr. Oh-so-big-protector tried to start a conversation with me?"

"I was writing a letter to Dryden," Millerna answered quietly and an adorable blush spread over her face together with the stupidest grin Hitomi had ever seen. Hitomi just hoped she wouldn't look that foolish if she ever fell in love. "I just told him that we left Joya Verde and that we're getting along quite well."

"Did you already send it?" Hitomi asked, eyeing Millerna with sceptically raised brows.

"No," she shook her head, long, blond curls swaying elegantly with the motion. "I'll do it tonight, so that nobody'll see the pigeon."

Hitomi looked at Millerna for a long time, before she sighed and spoke. "I still can't understand why you don't tell your father about Dryden. I mean, he loves you dearly and he's even a merchant, so--"

"Yeah, and that's the problem," Millerna interrupted softly, a sad look on her face. "Dryden is a merchant. He has been travelling the seas since he's a kid and he will do for the rest of his life, that's for sure. So, if I really choose to stay with him, I'll have to leave my country and travel with him."

Hitomi didn't know what to say, the unshed tears sparkling in Millerna's bright eyes making a lump form in her throat. Millerna's problems seemed to be a lot more difficult than she had first thought and the princess had become quite a master in the arts of covering one's sadness with faked cheerfulness.

"Father wouldn't be all too happy if he got to know that the future queen of Asturia suddenly changed her mind and left her country," the young woman continued, the bitterness in her voice unbearable. "But these are not your problems, Hitomi. I don't want to spoil your trip." The princess smiled brightly at Hitomi but this time, she failed in hiding her grief.

"Millerna...," Hitomi whispered but the blond just shook her head, determined.

"No, let's change the topic...I don't want to think about that, now," she contradicted and motioned for Hitomi to turn around. "Look, over there."

After giving Millerna one last worried look which the princess simply waved off, Hitomi turned around and her eyes slightly widened by seeing sharp black silhouettes against the bright blue sky. They were approaching a large archipelago which seemed to occupy the whole horizon, a few lost and lonely clouds gotten caught to the tops of the mountains.

"The most beautiful islands you can find between the continents," Millerna whispered as if fearing to destroy the image in front of them. "They have no name. Nobody dared to name this beauty in fear of the wrath of the gods because they simply couldn't find a name which would fit."

The two women waited in silence while they were slowly approaching the islands, the ship digging its way steadily through the water and the wind making the sails swell violently.

Conversations died down when they passed the first pitch-black edges, cold rocks which had once been red-hot magma, spat out from the depths of Gaea. It was quiet on the deck, the soft sound of pulleys clinking against wooden masts and the rustling of fabric the only noise above the monotone roaring of the sea.

At least, the commodore had been right; it was truly pure beauty. Volcanic islands made of black stone with edges as sharp as blades were alternating with coral islands, their blinding white beaches merging softly into the crystal clear water. Bizarre black structures mixed with smooth white sand, lush tropical rainforest covering the mountains up to their peaks. Atoll after atoll was competing with each other in having the clearest and most intense turquoise bay.

It was an incredible play of colours. As if a god had thought that this part of Gaea was too colourless and that's why had simply emptied there all of his pots with innumerable shades of green and blue, crowning his work with dots of black and white. It was a unique mixture.

The water was sliced where it hit the old lava which had gone cold thousands of years ago, waves crashing against the black coast violently, a ring of white foam surrounding the rocks. The wind was warm between the islands, carrying the sweet scent of exotic flowers and ripe fruits. In the distance, two fountains of water broke through the surface of the sea, fine fog glistening in the sunlight.

"Whales!" Hitomi exclaimed in surprise, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, they come here to eat," Millerna replied with a smile by seeing Hitomi's face shine. "The archipelago is one big paradise. It blocks some very important trading routes but it's so large that we can't sail around it for it would take too much time. That's why we simply sail through it. The passage is this huge gorge over there."

Hitomi turned to look at where Millerna was pointing at, a grin on her face. "You know a lot about that all..." she stated, glancing over her shoulder at her friend, green eyes gleaming with a mischievous sparkle.

Millerna blushed and rubbed her arms. "Well, Dryden told me everything I wanted to know about it," she said quietly. "He really loves the sea and everytime he speaks of her, his eyes have this special glow. He looks like a little boy then."

"Ah, a rival for you, isn't it?!" Hitomi mocked with an impish grin and chuckled when Millerna stuck her tongue out at her.

The princess leaned with her back against the railing, tilting her head backwards and stared up into the sky when the ship entered the narrow passage which led through one of the innumerable islands. Hitomi lay slumped over the railing again, watching the spray dance around the wooden hull of the _Hunter_. Dark cliffs surrounded them, growing high and vertically into the sky, ominously towering above them and blocking the sunlight from illuminating the passage. The sound of the waves swapping against the ship reverberated from the rocks, sending an echo into the gorge ahead of them.

"I told I would hurt you if you decided to be all depressed, remember?" Millerna said after they had almost reached the end of the passage, still looking into the sky, her shining blond hair tumbling over back.

"Yeah, I'm all enthusiastic right now, don't you see?!" Hitomi replied, still hanging over the railing like a wet sack.

Millerna grunted and glanced at Hitomi out of the corner of her eye, two violet irises glowing angrily. "Of course," she muttered and turned away. "And what are you when you're not enthusiastic? Dead?"

Hitomi sighed and reached up to touch her pendant, rolling it absently between her fingers. "I'll try to be more cheerful, okay?!" she appeased with a crooked smile. "But I just wish something would happen. You know, just something so that the journey would be a bit more exciting."

"You mean I bore you, don't you?" Millerna stated with a pout and closed her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest and making Hitomi grin.

It was when the ship left the passage, bright sunlight flooding the deck at the bow and forcing Hitomi to squeeze her eyes shut. Straightening slowly, she opened her green orbs again and froze. Millerna was babbling beside her but Hitomi didn't hear, staring with wide eyes and a half-opened mouth into the face of a beautiful wooden woman. Long hair was framing her timeless beautiful features, a warm smile playing across her full lips and a swaying tunic molding perfectly against her body. It was the face of a black figurehead which belonged to a pitch-black ship.

"Pirates!" a frantic shout echoed across the deck, waking Hitomi from her shock and making Millerna spin around. "Pirates!"

The black ship was sailing under full sails along the cliffs of the island the _Hunter_ had just passed by, making straight for them in an angle of 90°. The wind was pressing it mercilessly towards the cliffs, the hull looking as if it was listening. It was so close that Hitomi thought it would just sail right through them.

"We're under attack! They're attacking from both sides!"

Turning slowly around, Hitomi saw that another ship was also making straight for them from the other side, white sails swelling in the wind. An ambush. The pirates had waited for them until they had left the gorge and were now attacking, undeniably having the advantage.

She jerked when a hand grabbed her roughly by her arm, dragging her away from Millerna. And it was just then that she noticed that everyone was on their feet, the crew members running across the deck, yelling and shouting, swords sparkling. She was too shocked to even protest when the young soldier led her towards the cabins, watching both ships approach with incredible speed.

"They're heading on a collision course!" Hitomi heard commodore Shephard's voice over the cries of the crew. "Be ready for the collision!"

Water splashed around the wooden hulls, spray dancing, when the two ships suddenly altered their course and turned sharply so that they were parallel to the _Hunter, _the keels ploughing the sea. The black ship was so close that Hitomi could read the name, before she was pulled under deck – _Black Lady_.

"Canons ready and prepare for impact!" Shephard shouted from his position beside the rudder, gritting his teeth and holding the railing tightly. He knew what was to come.

With a deafening thud, both ships rammed the _Hunter_ and trapped her between their mighty hulls, wood creaking and splintering in surrender under the enormous pressure. Guards stumbled across the deck, desperately trying to keep hold of something, the ship shaking and rearing like a scared horse. The sea was still stirred when finally a noisy crowd poured onto the deck, hoarse cries and the clinking of swords filling the warm air.

A young man was standing at the railing of the _Black Lady, _watching the events with attentive, auburn eyes, the wind obviously enjoying to dishevel his pitch-black hair. It was a heap of bodies on the deck of the _Hunter_, pirates mingling with guards of the royal army, the clashing of swords now audible above the roaring of the sea. Van was just about to unsheathe his sword when a strong hand rested on his shoulder.

"Take Gaddes and search the princess, Van," Allen ordered, his blue eyes focused on the battle which was taking place on deck of the other ship. "I'll soon follow you."

"Aye, Allen," the young man replied with a short nod, his eyes glinting from under his unruly strands.

With a quick motion, Van was squatting on the railing, sword unsheathed and muscles tense. He glanced over his shoulder once more, his maroon eyes unreadable when he looked at Allen. Taking a deep breath, he then jumped onto the deck of their neighbour ship and after landing gracefully on all fours like a panther, he dove right into the fight.

Allen exhaled deeply when he stood on his ship, watching his crew fight. Hopefully, for the last time. A small smile crept upon his handsome features and he slowly reached for a rope which was dangling from down a spare. This time, he couldn't guarantee that nobody would die .

Pushing himself off the ground, he swung across the small gap between the two ships and joined his men. Sword unsheathed, he blocked the first thrust aimed at him, sending his opponent stumbling across the deck with a violent shove. The blade of Allen's sword sparkled dangerously, the pirate working his way through the crowd, determined, but a sudden explosion stopped him.

Turning around he saw smoke rising from the deck of his ship, black boards floating from the sky. A second explosion could be heard and he knew that it had hit Ruhm's ship this time. His eyes narrowed in anger, he shouted at his men. "Under deck!" he yelled. "Stop them from sinking my ship!"

Pirates shouted, forcing their way to the door which led to the canons and the blond-haired man finally spotted the one he was looking for, absorbed in a fight. The commodore was trying to get rid of one of Ruhm's wolf-men who turned to be more than persistent. Allen dodged another thrust with a skilful move and ran up the wooden stairs to the rudder.

"Commodore Sheephead!" he greeted cheerfully, making the commodore swirl around, ice-blue eyes flashing.

"Schezar!" the black-haired captain replied with a growl but winced when the wolf-man against whom he had just fought, sliced his arm.

"It's okay," Allen said, addressing Ruhm's crew member. "He's mine!"

Allen saw the muscles flex under the fur, broad shoulders sagging. Small brown eyes glowed from under thick brows but the beast man nodded and turned away, leaving Allen and the commodore to themselves.

"A seagull whispered to me that you had some interesting cargo with you," Allen stated with a smirk and twisted his sword, the commodore glaring right back at him. "You know, I'm a curious man and I want to possess all that's rare."

"I don't know what that seagull told you but I promise you, I have nothing with me which could be of your interest!" Shephard replied slowly and weighed his sword in his hand, his pale eyes boring right into Allen's ones.

"C'mon, Sheephead!" Allen exclaimed exasperatedly and took a step towards his opponent. "We both know that you're a bad liar!"

"That damn arrogance of yours will someday cost your life, Schezar!" the commodore yelled angrily and lunged at Allen. "Let's make it today!"

Their swords clashed together in a rain of sparks and Allen grinned provokingly right back at the other captain. A snarl escaped his lips and he pushed the pirate away, only to thrust at him again. Allen parried, still smiling and obviously enjoying the fight. His opponent was thoroughly skilled but right now, too furious to use all of his potential. He was careless.

Allen ducked under the next thrust and stretched out his left leg, hitting the commodore directly and painfully in the hollows of his knees. With a grunt, the black-haired man fell to the ground and Allen was over him within the blink of an eye. He bored his heel right into the back of captain Shephard's hand and forced him to let go of his sword, earning a cry and a series of curses.

Shephard turned around on the ground and was about to shout at Allen when the sparkling tip of the pirate's sword, aiming at his throat, stopped him. His eyes widened briefly but he soon was in control of his emotions again.

"Tell your men to surrender," Allen ordered slowly but his tone made clear that he wasn't going to accept any contradiction, his eyes never leaving the man down at his feet.

The commodore gave a dry laugh. "In your dreams, Schezar!" he spat, glaring up at Allen. "We rather die than surrender and leave the ship to you!"

"Don't waste the lives of your crew members!" Allen shouted, his eyes glowing dangerously and his lips set in a grim line. "I gave you the chance to have your lives spared and I would suggest that you take it! If not, there will be no mercy and your crew will die, believe me! We're far more than double of your men and I will not accept any hindrance, today! Understood?!"

Shephard didn't reply, he just stared into Allen's blazing eyes and he knew that he was not joking. "Surrender!" he said once again and the commodore closed his eyes.

"Stop fighting," he uttered through gritted teeth, making Allen snarl.

"I doubt that they heard you," he replied angrily, his sword still aiming at the commodore's throat.

"Stop fighting!" Shephard shouted and the noises around them slowly died down, the guards looking in his direction with plain confusion written across their faces. "Stop fighting!"

"Good boy," Allen smiled down at him. "And now, tell them to drop their swords."

"What?" Shephard replied in disbelief. "You're mad, Schezar! You can't believe that--"

"I said tell them to drop their swords!" Allen thundered, interrupting him, and moved his sword closer towards the skin at Shephard's neck, making him inch backwards. "And I'm not going to repeat myself a second time!"

Shephard stared up at him, his eyes wide. "How can I be sure that you're not going to massacre my crew once they dropped their swords? I've heard what you've done with other ships!" he shouted, holding Allen's gaze.

"I thought you were clever enough to not believe these stupid rumours. If I had wanted to soak this deck with blood and turn the water red, I could have done it already," Allen replied, deadly serious and slightly disappointed. "You have my word as a man of honour that your men won't be harmed."

The commodore would have laughed out loud if he hadn't lain on the deck of his ship, hard boards in his back and a sword pointing at his throat. It wasn't as if he had any alternative, apart from greeting Death with open arms. "Let your swords drop!" he ordered with firm voice and after a brief moment of hesitation, a high clinking noise signalled that the guards dropped their swords.

It was quiet for a moment, Allen and Shephard just staring each other in the eye, challenging, the other men on the deck waiting. But Allen broke their contest with a smirk and retracted his sword.

"Thank you very much for cooperating, commodore Sheephead," he said with an amused glint in his eyes and bowed deeply, making the commodore growl.

"Ruhm!" Allen then shouted, watching out of the corner of his eye the black-haired man raise. "Send ten of your men in the rigging to slice the sails! Thoroughly, understood?! And then, take care of our little friend here! I'll help searching the princess!"

"Aye, Allen!" Ruhm's deep voice reached him from out of the crowd on the deck, the wolf-man shoving his way to the stairs to take Allen's position in watching the commodore.

With a last, livid-making glance at Shephard and a mock bow, Allen turned away and headed for the doors which led under deck, icy eyes boring into his back.

"Nah, it's closed," Gaddes stated matter-of-factly, rattling a second time at the door in the hope that it might open now.

Together with Van he was under deck of the _Hunter,_ searching the princess. They could hear the noises from the fights outside, hoarse cries and the clashing of swords muffled by quite some layers of wooden planks. The stomping of innumerable feet was making dust float down from the slits between the boards, covering the both of them.

"As if that was a hindrance," Van muttered and looked the wooden door up and down while ruffling his raven-black hair to get the dust out of it. "And you're sure that she's in there?"

"Quite sure, yeah," Gaddes answered, scratching the back of his head, and a silly grin crept upon his face. "At least, I would put the princess in my cabin if I was the captain."

Van rolled his eyes in annoyance and took a step towards the door, now standing beside Gaddes. "Get out of the way," he ordered in his usual flat voice and the brown-eyed man beside him chuckled.

"Aye, Van," he smiled and took a few steps backwards. "Don't worry, you'll sooner or later fall for one of them, that I promise you. Nobody can resist them. Not even you."

"Of course, Gaddes," Van mumbled casually and reached with his hands for the doorframe, grasping it tightly, only to ram the sole of his boot flat under the doorknob.

Wood splintered when the bolt was forced violently out of its little cage, and the door flew open with a cracking noise. Van stumbled into the dim room, the momentum of his kick sending him ahead. He had no time to take a look around and scan the place for any signs of the princess for he felt all the little hairs on the back of his neck straighten, the situation uncomfortably familiar to him.

"Watch out!" Gaddes's shout tore the thick silence and Van swirled around on his heels, quickly unsheathing his sword.

He raised it with gritted teeth, just in time to block a fierce thrust. His gaze collided with blazing green eyes, partly covered by delicate strands of honey-blond hair. He was too surprised to do anything but stagger backwards, his opponent unexpectedly strong and female.

"I will not allow you to do gods know what to me!" the young woman yelled angrily, her chest rising and falling quickly though the sword was not shaking in her small hand. It was probably one of the commodore's swords which he kept in his cabin.

Without any warning, she lunged at Van again, her movements quick and skilled, every muscle of her body under her control. The young man dodged the attack and parried the next one, growling impatiently after he had gotten over the shock of being attacked by a woman.

"Gaddes!" he shouted, thrusting back at Hitomi, her dress swaying and rustling with her movements. "What am I supposed to do?"

Gaddes leaned casually in the doorframe and watched the two of them fight. "I don't know," he shrugged. "The captain said that we had to bring her to him and I guess that's what we're going to do. If she likes it or not."

Van snarled and inched backwards, Hitomi aiming at his chest. He raised his arms, the tip of his sword slicing the air and sparks flew when their swords clashed together. He leaned against her with all his strength, lowering his face so that only their shaking swords were between their faces.

"Listen, princess!" he hissed, his eyes glowing bright red from out of the shadows under his black strands and the muscles in his arms tense, his whole posture intimidating. "You heard what he said! You've got no choice and I don't want to hurt you! So stop fighting and come with us!"

"Fine, prince!" Hitomi barked back at him, holding his flashing gaze and not in the least impressed by his dark appearance. "You want me? Then, come and get me!"

With a violent shove, she pushed Van away, his eyes widening in surprise. She swirled around, her sword cutting the air diagonally and Van couldn't get out of the way in time. He gasped audibly when the sharp blade sliced his arm and jumped backwards to dodge her next thrust.

Hitomi retracted her sword and smiled triumphantly, seeing the blood rush down his arm. Both of them were breathing hard, Van's right arm sagging visibly, his eyes a seething ocean of red-hot lava. He hated it to admit but the furious woman in front of him knew how to deal with a sword. He had never fought against a woman before and now that he had made the experience, he could say that he could have lived without it.

Her cheeks flushed and sweat covering her forehead, Hitomi was just about to raise her sword again when suddenly a hand appeared from out of the shadows behind her, hitting a certain spot at the nape of her neck. With a surprised groan, she collapsed and fell right into Gaddes's waiting arms, the furious sparkle leaving her deep green eyes when they fluttered shut. A clinking noise echoed into the silence when the sword which had slipped out of the young woman's hand hit the wooden ground.

"I thought it was better to end that little fight," Gaddes stated, a light hint of amusement in his voice, and adjusted Hitomi in his arms, her head falling limply against his chest. "You know, she almost beat you."

"She did not!" Van contradicted fiercely, looking up from inspecting his injured arm.

Gaddes sighed and shook his head, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Whatever," he replied and turned towards the door, his back shielding him from Van's deadly glare. "It's not the time for arguing now. Let's go, the captain is waiting."

With a snort, Van sheathened his sword and followed Gaddes into the hallway, dim light illuminating their way. It was quiet now under deck, the noises from above gone and the sound of their own footsteps reverberating from the walls. Van watched Gaddes walk in front of him, the dress of the young woman swaying around him and a pair of slim legs sticking out of a heap of silky folds and frills.

He had a chance to take a closer look at her when Gaddes stopped and made way so that Van could open the hatch which led upwards. When passing by, he glanced surreptitiously at her out of the corners of his eyes. Her features were now calm, not set in the grim expression she had had when they had fought, fine eyelashes resting on pale cheeks. Short, honey-blond hair was surrounding her face, soft shadows outlining her jaw and nose.

Van jerked and shook his head violently when he felt his features soften by looking at her. He was not going to feel sympathy for her! She had tried to kill him, after all! His eyes narrowed in annoyance, he pushed open the hatch and immediately shielded his eyes against the intense sunlight which poured through the opening. He didn't see the light smile which curved around Gaddes' lips when he saw the flush rush across Van's cheeks.

"You go and bring her on board the _Black Lady_ and I'll tell Allen that we've got her," Van called over his shoulder when he climbed out of the hatch onto the deck, auburn eyes darting to rest on closed eyes again.

He scolded himself when he heard Gaddes chuckle deep in his throat and met the elder ones gaze, brown eyes sparkling mischievously. With a grunt, Van turned away and strode across the deck, turning his head in order to find Allen. But there was no shining blond head among the men on the deck.

The guards stood defeated at the stern, watched by some of Ruhm's men. Pirates were talking and laughing in every corner of the ship but tense nevertheless. It was Allen's usual method to take possession of a ship; find the captain, defeat him and force the crew to give up. Of course, they had often met with resistance when the crew had bravely refused to give up but though it was better than just to kill everyone until there was no resistance left.

He found Ruhm standing beside one of the main masts, staring up into the sky, his eyes shaded by one of his huge paws.

"No no, cut the main sails at first!" he yelled upwards, pointing with his other hand frantically, brown fur sparkling in the sunlight. "And be careful!"

Van followed Ruhm's gaze and saw almost a dozen of wolf-men climbing in the rigging, long rips already adorning some sails. The torn fabric was swaying limply in the wind, proud sails turned into useless white scraps.

"Hey, Ruhm," Van addressed the mountain of muscles at the foot of the mast, hands casually stuffed in the pockets of his pants. "Have you seen Allen? We've got the princess and --"

"I said the main sails!" Ruhm yelled at the top of his lungs, startling some men around him and then, glanced at Van. "Good, I'll tell him, Van – Darius, are you deaf?!"

The young man sighed and turned around, following Gaddes to the _Black Lady_. Merle was already awaiting them, impatiently pacing a ditch in the floor of Allen's cabin. Her tail was whipping nervously from side to side, her pointed ears pricked to the maximum, listening to the noises outside and twitching every now and then. She had heard them fight, cursing Allen for not letting her join them. One day, she would show him that she wasn't just a stupid little girl!

Looking up, she spotted her parrot on the backrest of a solid wooden chair, cleaning its shining blue and yellow feathers effusively as if knowing that they would get a guest. The cat-girl stretched out her arm and fondled the parrot's head, making the bird close its eyes in satisfaction, a sigh of contentment escaping its lipless mouth.

Allen's room was dark though the wall across the door was made of huge windows, the black boards absorbing all the light. The cabin was furnished Spartan with a few lonely closets at the walls and a small bed in a dark corner, clothes scattered around it. A gigantic wooden table was the center of the room, occupying the whole space in front of the windows, an old and yellowed map pinned with daggers to it. Compasses and rulers covered the map together with innumerable books. It was the captain's sanctum.

Merle's head snapped up and her ears twitched when she suddenly heard noises from outside, Gaddes' deep voice reaching her faintly through the wooden door. Within the blink of an eye, she was at the door and pulled it open, facing a surprised Gaddes.

"You got her!" Merle exclaimed by seeing the unconscious woman in his arms and sniffed at her, her tail swaying quickly. "She smells strange. I don't like her."

"You don't like any stranger," Gaddes chuckled and shoved past Merle, his hair sparkling a dark blue in the light which came through the windows at the back of the room. He placed Hitomi carefully on Allen's bed as if afraid of breaking her, looking down at the calmly breathing girl with a warm smile on his face.

"I just don't trust people so easily," the pink-haired girl replied with a shrug. "I grew to be very suspicious. Just like my...Van!"

He leaned against the doorframe and jerked violently when the cat-girl screamed his name, her eyes wide open. "What?" he asked and turned around, scanning the hallway behind him for any possible danger.

"You're injured!" Merle cried, rushing at his side and grabbing his arm roughly, making the young man flinch.

"No, Merle," Van tried to shake her off but the cat-girl simply dragged him across the room. "Really, it's looking worse than it actually is."

He sighed heavily when Merle pushed him uncompromisingly down onto the bed beside Hitomi, pulling his blood-stained shirt quickly over his head and muffling his protest in the process.

"I'll take care of that," she stated and rushed to a small closet right beside the door, opening and closing drawers noisily.

"A tough little princess we've got here," Gaddes said, pulling one of Allen's chairs beside the bed and plopped down onto it, resting his chin on the backrest. Merle was still rummaging through the closet. "She almost beat Van in swordfight."

"What?" she shouted from her position on the ground and her head spun around, ears twitching.

"She did not," Van hissed slowly through gritted teeth, still looking to the ground, his fists clenched.

'She did,' Gaddes mouthed to Merle and as if hearing it, Van's head snapped up, black strands flying and auburn eyes burning into Gaddes. The elder man winced and raised his hands appeasingly. He should stop teasing the lad or he would kill him some day with his glares.

"So, I guess it was her who did that to you," Merle growled when she approached Van again, a bowl of water and some bandages in her hand, her eyes fixed on the sleeping girl. He snorted in reply while turning his head away and Merle knew that she was right.

She kneeled down beside Van and began to wash the blood off his arm, her features softening when she saw that it was really not that bad. Though streams of dried blood were covering his arm, he had only gotten a relatively small wound on his upper arm; nothing he wouldn't survive.

"Look, you're as good as new again," Merle whispered softly when she attached the bandage, smiling up at Van, but frowned when she saw that he was distracted. He was staring intensely at something from under his unruly strands, the frown on Merle's features turning into a scowl when she followed his gaze and saw that he was watching the girl on the bed. The cat-girl tied the bandage with a little bit more force than necessary, making Van wince.

"Sorry for interrupting your precious thoughts," she hissed icily when she stood up and turned around, in order to keep her parrot company.

Van rubbed his arm and glared at Gaddes who was laughing loudly on his chair, arms linked behind his head. The young man just growled and directed his gaze to the ground, black strands tumbling over his eyes.

It was when they could hear loud noises from outside, obviously indicating that Allen was back. Loud rumble reached them, mixed with shouted orders; they were leaving the _Hunter_. Gaddes rose from his chair, still chuckling, and headed to the door. Laughter echoed within the hallway and the door was pushed open, before Gaddes reached it. Ort entered the room with a huge grin on his face, Allen's amused voice sounding from right behind him.

"Hey, captain," Gaddes began cheerfully, glancing over his shoulder at Van. "You won't believe what our little princess --"

He trailed off and his mouth remained wide open when he turned back around, spotting Allen in the doorframe. Something was slung over the captain's shoulder, something fighting and wildly kicking. Slim and fettered arms and legs were beating Allen, the young woman in the light pink dress trying to scream through the gag in her mouth, shining blond curls spilled over her back.

"What's the matter, Gaddes?" the captain asked when he saw the slightly startled look on Gaddes's face and tightened the grip around the woman's legs to keep her from beating him black and blue.

He blinked and stepped aside, revealing Allen's bed with a sleeping Hitomi on it, Van and Merle staring back at him in confusion. Blue eyes widened.

"We've got a little problem."

* * *

A big big thank you to all who reviewed

**SabineballZ: **grins Na, zufrieden mit Hitomi:P Natürlich ist sie schlagfertig!! Hah! Freut mich, dass es dir gefällt und danke!!!

**Ryuu Angel: **Lol, it's pretty impressive how much you can review though you haven't read the chapter yet:P grins from ear to ear Glad you liked your role!!! I really enjoyed writing it!! You're such a cool character Lol, approaching intervention!! Seems as if I have to warn you when you enter the stage next time, eh:P Mwahahaha!! Ruhm and the rum!!! Have to add something like that!! cackles So yeah, Tomi met Van and sparks flew (Muaha, literally!!!!!!)...just love it Nice first impression, I think Oooh, they gonna have so much fun together!! rubs hands Can't await to write it all!!!! hugglez you like crazily mad Thanks so much for the wonderful review!! Really really!!! wink wink Loved that!!!

**TennyoAngel711: **blushs Glad you like it!! grins madly And yeah, Van the darn hottie!! Gimme a Van!!! sob sob And did you survive the last days??? How did the theatre program go?? Did you already perform or will the event be within the next days? Ya see, you heard from me again very soon :P Thanks!!!

**Spirit0: **cackles Yeah, why kidnap the princess?? Hehe, maybe I'll reveal it next chapter :P But oi uu am I that predictable again??? Of course, they take Tomi with them...mutters something under her breath And muahahaha!!! We Germans and our articles!! grins insanely I was totally confused when I got to know that there was only one article in English!!! I was like "Huh? What do you mean? Only one?" Bwahahaha!! I would say you could ask me and I'd try to help you but I doubt that I would be of any help for I'm better in English than in German :P Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!

**Big-Mops-in-shorts: **ganz rot werd und wie wild vor sich hin grins Danke!!!!

**Macky: **bows to the floor Thanks!!

**Cherry Dragon: **Thankiez! Here is more!!

**Lady-of-the-Lord: **Hiyaaa!! I do remember you And yeah, of course, do do!! I'm waiting

**dawnsama: **I'm glad! And hehe, see you were right!! mutters ...predictable I am... :P Thanks!!

**Dreamboat Annie: **blushs Thanks!!

**YNG: **Me like them, too!! Here is more!!!

**sacredmist: **Lol, they fight! What else:P Liked it??

**A/N: **So yeah, don't look at me like that!! Tomi and Van meet and sparks fly...what else do you expect:P And of course, Hitomi can handle a sword!! Van will have a hard time with her!! cackles Hope you liked it!!

Happy New Year, people, and till next time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dariel


	4. Love letter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything...on with the story...

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Chapter 4 Love letter

* * *

If she had known what would await her by wishing for a journey that was _exciting_, she might have never uttered that wish. But only maybe. If she had known it would hurt that much, she would have clamped her mouth shut. There was nothing she hated more than physical pain. Every kind of physical pain. And it was one hell of a physical pain she felt right now.

The back of her neck was throbbing, emitting waves of pain that reached into her fingertips. And her head must have swollen to double its size and weighed a ton. Just great.

With a slightly shaking hand, she reached up to her forehead, sweaty strands of honey-blond hair sticking to her hot skin. She suppressed a moan from passing her lips and tried to dig a way through the mess that was her mind in order to find an answer to the question What in Gaea's name had happened? She was concentrating so hard that it made her head swell even more and made her almost not to hear the voices around her.

Deep, male voices. Arguing voices. Angry voices.

"But Gaddes, you could, at least, have assumed that--"

"That what?" Gaddes barked, silencing Allen with an angry sweep of the hand. "That what, captain? That there was a second woman on the ship although you said the princess would be the only one?"

"Listen, I'm not blaming you!" the captain replied exasperatedly, spreading his arms.

"Yes, you are!" his second-in-command insisted. Van was quietly watching them argue with Merle clinging to his arm. Gaddes was the only one of the crew who dared to yell at the captain like that and every time he did, it was as if two storms were colliding for both of them were terribly stubborn.

"You make it seem as if I could have known that she wasn't the princess," Gaddes continued, trying to keep his voice calm. "But by Gaea, I've never seen her before!"

"I know!" Allen exclaimed and ran a desperate hand through his blond strands. "I know, Gaddes, and I'm sorry. But it's just...it wasn't planned to have her here. Who is she anyway?"

His piercing, blue eyes focused immediately on Millerna who glared back at him and then turned away with a muffled scoff, making her shining, curly tresses sway. Allen knitted his brows in disapproval and walked over to her side. With a swift motion, he pulled a dagger from his belt and cut through the gag in her mouth, only to press the cold blade against the smooth skin at her neck. Millerna pretended to be unimpressed.

"I don't like playing games, just to inform you," Allen whispered, his voice husky and his face mere inches away from her. "Who is she? And no lies, please. I don't like blood on my floor, it's so hard to clean it off, afterwards."

She glared at him out of the corner of her eyes before she spoke. "Hitomi Kanzaki, daughter of Governor Kanzaki," she answered flatly and Allen groaned.

Unnoticed by everyone, the young woman on the bed stiffened. That voice she would recognize out of thousands; rich and very feminine but not shrill, swinging with the controlled tone of a princess who was trying her best to suppress her anger. Millerna!

And as if on cue, Hitomi's startling green eyes shot open but only to be forced shut again by the intensity of the impressions around her. White sunlight that fell through the huge windows which were occupying a complete wall had blinded her and her heartbeat had quickened by noticing that she didn't know the room she was in. The young woman was breathing hard, her fingers tightening around the soft bed sheets she was covered with. And it weren't her bed sheets. That wasn't her room. And that weren't exactly familiar voices.

She opened her eyes again, this time slowlier to get used to her surroundings. Intense sunlight was illuminating a group of men who stood in the middle of the room. They were discussing with each other, a man with short, black hair using his hands to explain something while another one with long, blond hair smiled triumphantly down at Millerna. The princess was quite angry, Hitomi could tell from the scowl on her face. Things didn't seem to go the way she wanted them to.

It was when Hitomi's scanning eyes rested on a young man who sat at the bottom-end of her bed. His bare upper torso was glowing in the sunlight, pitch-black hair hiding his features while he was leaning with his elbows on his knees. But was made her inhale sharply wasn't any of that. What made her almost jump straight out of bed were his eyes.

As if feeling her gaze, he had turned to face her, boundless eyes the colour of the burning sky at sunrise fixed on her. Never had she seen such eyes before and never would she forget them. Haunting eyes. And with this image, the memory of the past hours crashed down on her like a gigantic wave, nearly drowning her.

"You!" she exclaimed, her voice pure venom and her emerald eyes blazing at the sight of him.

After getting over the shock of facing her wide-open eyes, Van's features darkened as if ominous clouds were covering the sun, brows narrowing in annoyance. He just sat there, calm and collected, and glared at her, watching with slight satisfaction how her gaze flickered around, making her look like a cornered animal searching for a way to escape.

"Ah, milady Hitomi," Allen cooed when he saw that she was awake, strolling at her side with his most charming smile, his white teeth glowing.

"She has nothing to do with that, Schezar!" Millerna snarled from her chair, trying violently to wind out of the grasp of the merciless ropes around her wrists. "Touch her and I swear I'll..."

Eyes as blue and as calm as the ocean on a cloudless day never left Hitomi's startled features when the captain bent down and swiftly kissed the back of her hand, his raw skin brushing her one softly. "You'll what?" he asked mockingly, a grin plastered across his face and his eyes boring into Hitomi's ones. The princess just growled, her violet orbs burning through Allen's back.

"Allen Schezar, captain of the _Black Lady_, at your service."

Hitomi was too surprised to snatch her hand back from the captain and even too surprised to clean it off at the bed sheets. She looked from him to Millerna, a helplessly confused expression on her face. "Millerna, what does this all mean?"

"I'm very sorry for the little misunderstanding here," Allen answered instead of Millerna and finally released his grasp, putting his hand on his chest. "We actually didn't intend to kidnap you. My men thought you were the princess and brought you here without me knowing. I apologize for the trouble. There will be no harm done to you and you'll be released as soon as I got what I want and as long as you don't get in my way." He smiled but though Hitomi caught the warning edge in his voice.

"You'll never get through with all this!" Millerna replied and Allen turned to face her, his lips turned upwards in a smirk. "They will search for you and hunt you down! You won't get anything from my father!"

"Oh, he isn't the one I'm aiming at," the captain drawled and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "The one I'm aiming at will do everything to know his precious little princess safe, believe me."

He rose gracefully from Hitomi's side and crossed the room with long strides. "I'd suggest you behave like good girls and don't make it too hard for yourselves for it won't be for too long that you stay with us," Allen said smoothly, standing in the doorway, before he turned to Gaddes with a smile.

"Go get me that carrier pigeon of hers," he ordered, bemused, and Millerna's violet orbs widened. "I feel like writing a love letter to an old friend."

* * *

Voices. He could hear voices around him. They were echoing within his mind, seeming to come from nowhere and from everywhere at the same time as if they were playing some stupid game with him. Words were swirling around him like dry leaves in a soft autumn breeze, making his head snap from side to side, trying to catch more than just a torn piece of a sentence. The words made no sense.

And even less sense made the fact that he was shaking. His breathing was ragged and his heart was beating furiously within his chest, strong and fast as if afraid that the next beat could be the last. He was scared. He was scared so much that his whole body shook. And he didn't know why. He only knew that the voices were scared, too.

There was nothing but blackness around him. He couldn't see anything. But he could hear and feel. He could hear the screaming voices around him which were almost drowned by a deafening roaring. Like an angry beast; fiery and with the intention to kill. He could feel rain whip across his face, felt the drops leave red marks on his skin. And he felt something warm in his hand. It was a warmth that soothed him somehow, a warmth that kept him from losing his stance, that kept him from stopping to breathe.

It was before something hit him with full force and pressed all the air out of his lungs, tearing the ground from under his feet and sending a piercing pain through his entire body. When he wanted to breathe in again, he couldn't and panic flooded him. He couldn't breathe. He simply couldn't breathe.

Van's eyes shot open with a start, black pupils shrunken to invisible spots in a stirred up and blood-red sea. Gasping, he bolted right up from where he had been sleeping with his back against a thick mast. He found himself staring down at the black boards of the crow's nest he was sitting in, fighting against a strong feeling of nausea crawling through his innards. The young man raised his hands to his face and when he felt them shake, he fisted them angrily in his raven-black hair.

Damn those dreams. Damn those stupid, senseless dreams. He shook his head, not knowing why he let them get to him like that, every time.

The morning sun was burning down on him, his shoulders rising and falling with his heavy breaths. When Van looked up, his brows were knitted and angry fires were burning within his unfathomable orbs. Fiery and untameable fires.

"Van?"

A male voice startled him out of his thoughts and his head snapped around, anger written across his features when he faced Orth who was looking over the brim of the crow's nest.

"My turn," Orth continued, motioning with his hand around and trying to sound nonchalantly but his eyes betrayed him by reflecting his worry.

Van stared at him a second longer before scrambling to his feet without saying a word. His sword clinked at his belt when he climbed swiftly over the railing and he looked right back at Orth by turning around.

"Stop being worried," he said flatly, his eyes however as cold as ice.

Orth held his gaze in an irritating way, that patient expression simply refusing to leave his face. It made the raven-haired youth scowl. With a snort, Van turned away and climbed down the mast, leaving his comrade behind whose bald head was glowing in the sunlight.

Underneath him, the _Black Lady_ was calmly ploughing her way through a bright blue sea, spray dancing vividly on the tops of the waves to the soothing melody of the waters. The wind was strong up there in the rigging, making the black sails swell proudly and Van's unruly hair swirl all around his head.

Whispered conversations reached his ears as soon as he jumped down onto the deck, the air vibrating with anticipation. They were all curious. Their captain still hadn't told them what he had intended with kidnapping the second princess of Asturia. It was dangerous and they all knew it. They all could value their heads in gold now. But still, Allen said nothing, only this knowing smile playing across his lips.

They were on their way to a forsaken reef where they would meet an old _friend_ of Allen as he had said himself. Van couldn't deny that he wanted to know what was behind all this.

A loud growl suddenly stopped his ranting and made him rub his protesting stomach. He could visit Merle down under deck. She was probably preparing a meal right now and he might be able to snatch something away under her hawk-like eyes (without getting his fingers cut right off). Sometimes he wondered if she was only half human and half cat or if there might be something else, maybe something of a harpy. His lips twitched lightly and he berated himself that he better kept that for himself or he wouldn't see the sun set, today.

Strolling across the black deck, he caught the salty scent of the ocean that was impregnating the warm air and he knew that he would never grow tired of it. The warmth that was caught in the wooden hull surrounded him by the moment he walked through the door that led under deck. That was the only disadvantage of a black ship; it was awfully hot when the sun beat down on it for the whole day. And yet, it made the ship seem alive, emitting a warmth as if it was a living, breathing being, the old wood creaking softly with its movements.

Van was just about to open the door to the kitchen when he saw something out of the corners of his eyes. His auburn orbs that were narrowed in suspicion warily followed a slim shadow which disappeared around a corner at the end of the low hallway. The young man let go of the doorknob and walked quietly down to were the shadow had been, hollow thuds of the waves swapping the ship accompanying him.

Soon, he found himself in one of the innumerable holds, staring wide-eyed at the back of a boy with short hair who was kneeling at the ground in front of him. The back of a boy he didn't know.

Without hesitating and without even thinking, Van crossed the distance between them and tightly grabbed the boy's shoulder. With surprising ease, he flung the intruder around and pressed him hard against a pile of sacks that were filled with flour, earning a startled gasp.

"What are you...?" he barked but trailed off, the words somewhere stuck in his throat when he stared into a pair of frightened, green eyes. Eyes of a green he had only seen on one person before.

Hitomi was breathing hard, her back pressed against the sacks while she was staring up into his eyes. He was intimidating in the dim light of the room, his face half in the dark and his features sharply outlined by the shadows. Only mere inches away from him, she could smell the warm and salty scent he had carried here from outside, his eyes glowing from between unruly strands of raven-black hair. They were holding an expression of genuine surprise and disbelief.

"Let me go, you're hurting me," she finally uttered through gritted teeth, feeling a stinging pain radiating from where he was holding her.

Immediately, he released the death grip around her shoulder, looking almost afraid and shocked by noticing that he had been holding her in the first place, his eyes flickering. Hitomi sighed in relief and rubbed her shoulder absently. That guy should learn to control his strength.

"What are you doing down here?" Van asked in his deep and melodic voice and took a step away from her, making her look up at him. "And why are you wearing these..." he looked her up and down with a raised brow and his arms crossed in front of his chest, a suspicious expression on his face "...clothes. These are men's clothes."

Hitomi rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the smirk from spreading across her face. Men! Thinking that just because they were _men's clothes_ women couldn't wear them. Was there a sign somewhere that read "Only to be worn by men"? No. Simple-minded jerks.

"As to answer your first question," she began and stooped to continue where he ever so gruffly had interrupted her. Oh what? According to the cliché, she could act like a spoiled brat and make everyone's life here a living hell (not that she wasn't capable of doing that – note that Millerna was out of competition) or she could simply accept her fate and try to be civil. The latter was easier, even for her.

"I was bored to death locked in my room for almost three days now with nothing but myself to entertain me and I'm not that much of an entertainer," she explained with a shrug. "Therefore I asked that when I was already stuck here as a misunderstanding if I could be of any use. And as you see, I ended up helping out in the kitchen."

She swiftly rose to her feet and with a grunt, slung a sack of potatoes over her shoulder, turning to face him. "That is if you don't mind," Hitomi finished sarcastically, nodding her head at him and she could swear seeing a flicker of amusement dance across his reddish-brown eyes.

Once more, he eyed her, taking in the white and far too big shirt that bulged at her sides, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows or else they would probably hang to the ground and make her look like a monkey. The light brown pants that stuck in black leather boots weren't her size either and all in all she looked like a shrunken male-wannabe.

"So I guess that you wear this in order to keep your dress from being ruined," Van replied and watched her cross the hold.

To his surprise she gave a laugh, a laugh that echoed purely within the room and he couldn't help but find it pleasant. "Oh, I wouldn't mind when this pretty dress of mine was torn to pieces or soaked with mud," she stated with her eyes sparkling like emeralds and shrugged, or better to say, tried to shrug for the sack on her shoulder made it quite impossible. "These clothes are more comfortable than a dress and far less impractical. Try to run and jump with a dress and you'll understand me."

She watched Van in silence, waiting for a reaction but there was nothing but that flicker in his eyes that didn't even last long for he seemed to fight it down. It was when her gaze rested on the white bandage at his right arm that was a stark contrast to the sleeveless, black shirt he was wearing. Guilt mixed with pride when she remembered that she had done that to him.

"Hey look, I want to..." Hitomi started with a sigh but didn't come to finish the sentence.

"Who taught you to fight like that?" Van interrupting her as if he hadn't even noticed that she had been speaking. It seemed as if this had been on his mind for quite a long time.

"What?" she replied, slightly confused.

"Who taught you to fight like this?" Van repeated patiently, his expression serious. "It isn't common that a governor's daughter is taught in swordsmanship."

A faint smile graced Hitomi's lips. "The best teacher I could possibly have," she answered quietly and turned to leave the hold.

Van caught quickly up with her, his unreadable eyes searching her ones. "Who?" he asked once again.

"A master of his art," Hitomi sighed and dropped the sack of potatoes, facing Van in the hallway. "One day, he appeared on our doorstep, asking for a place to stay. My father has always been one of the friendly kind and gave him a room. He said he was searching for someone but we never got to know who.

"He stayed a bit more than two months, searching the whole archipelago around Joya Verde but without any success. In the meantime, he taught me how to fight – doing as I had begged him to. People said that he came from a country in the south that had declined after their king had died. He never told us about himself and we never asked. He had this aura of pure strength and calmness around him that radiated such an authority and simply kept people from asking.

"You know what I mean?" Hitomi asked and looked at Van who was watching her intently. With a smile, she noticed that he had only asked who the guy was and not what was the entire story around him. She closed her green eyes. Ah, those sweet memories.

"He had introduced himself as Vargas," she finally informed him. "Ever calm and quiet --"

She stopped abruptly when she heard a sharp intake of breath and opened her eyes, only to find Van doubled over, clutching his forehead with one hand and trying to steady himself at the wall with the other one.

"What's the matter?" Hitomi asked and frowned in concern, carefully stretching out her arm to rest a hand on the young man's shoulder. He seemed to be in pain, his ragged breathing telling its own story.

She gasped in surprise when he unexpectedly and rather violently slapped her hand away, glaring up at her with blazing and accusing eyes as if...as if that had been her fault! She scowled, holding her hand to her chest. Fine! If he wanted it like that, so be it!

"I'm sorry for worrying about you, Your Majesty!" she spat angrily. "It will never happen again!"

And with that, she turned away and grabbed the sack of potatoes, dragging it down the hallway without looking back at Van who leaned against the wall, his eyes closed and his hands shaking.

* * *

It was late afternoon when the _Black Lady_ dropped anchor and the day was just about to die, the sun making a spectacle out of it like an actress with the world as her stage. The fireball was slowly diving beneath the surface of the sea, sending a symphony of colours across the cloudless sky that ranged from a burning orange to a deep violet which was almost black. The ocean was reflecting everything like a broken mirror, the waves distorting everything and making the colours mix.

And all that happened though the sun would be reborn the next morning, rising from the seas like a phoenix from the ashes. A neverending course.

The crew of pirates was gathered on the deck, watching and waiting in the long shadows of the masts for the ship to drop anchor that had just arrived – sailed under the white and neutral flag of cooperation.

Van sat on a box and observed silently, wearing Allen's tri-cornered hat once again so that his face was completely hidden in the shadows beneath the brim, the half-light of the sunset wrapped around him like a cloak. The men were creating a wide semi-circle around Allen who was leaning on his right leg which was resting against the railing, a broad grin plastered across his face as he watched the crew of the other ship. It was so close that he could have spat on the deck if he had wanted to.

He heard the soft cooing of Merle's parrot and heard the cat-girl whisper something. She was sitting on the deck with her back resting against the box, the wind almost tenderly dishevelling her pink hair. Her ears twitched every now and then while she was watching everything with attentive eyes.

He let his gaze wander over the different faces who were all directed at Allen until he met one that faced him, green eyes watching him. Hitomi. She still wore her unlady-like clothes and stood beside Millerna with two pirates guarding her sides, her tresses swaying softly in the breeze. She had been avoiding him for the rest of the day like he had been avoiding her. He couldn't think of any better communication.

The young woman held his stare for a moment longer until she turned away to watch the events taking place. Van kept watching her to the moment he heard Allen's clear voice tear the peaceful silence that had engulfed them.

"I knew you would come," he greeted cheerfully when a tall man appeared on deck of the other ship, his curly, brown hair tamed in a ponytail and his glasses sparkling in the last remains of sunlight.

Allen stepped away from the railing and watched the man swing gracefully across the gap between the ships by using one of the innumerable ropes of the rigging.

"Dry --" Millerna started to say but Gaddes who stood directly beside her clamped a hand over her mouth, violet eyes glaring at him.

"Not now, princess," he whispered while she was trying to free from his grasp, her shining, blond hair swaying. "You'll have time for that later."

"Dryden, my friend, I welcome you on my ship," the blue-eyed captain exclaimed and bowed deeply, taking off a non-existent hat. "How do you say? My ship is your ship."

"Allen," Dryden replied with a short nod and without anyone having seen it coming, his fist connected with Allen's jaw and sent him flying a few meters across the deck.

It was quiet after that, only a few pulleys clinking and the crew staring speechlessly at the scene. Even Van had his brows raised in surprise, lifting his hat slightly. Well, that was a first.

"Nice to see you, too, Dryden," Allen stated calmly, rubbing and moving his jaw while rising slowly from the black deck. Right then, he looked as if he was used to being punched in the face as a form of greeting.

"That was for breaking the codex!" Dryden shouted and pointed a long finger at Allen, his eyes flashing at him. "But actually I should hang you from the yard right here! I can't believe you did that! I can't understand why! Hell, was it for the fun of it or what? Did you suddenly find great interest in massacres?"

"You know, I always admired your unprejudiced attitude," the captain spoke, unimpressed and almost sad, and looked past Dryden across the sea. "Never judging anyone without hearing the whole story. But it seems you couldn't keep it up."

A confused flicker crossed Dryden's brown eyes and he watched Allen carefully, his green poncho moving lazily in the wind.

"You really do believe these rumours?" Allen asked and gave a laugh that echoed like a bark into the evening sky. "_That_ I can't believe!"

"What do you mean with rumours?" Dryden snapped back. "I saw it with my own eyes, Allen! I saw the remains of the trading ship still burning in the water and I saw this goddamn, black ship of yours at the horizon! What is there to not believe? What?"

His voice had risen with every word he had said, the last words leaving his lips in a shout in an almost desperate way. Allen was quiet, observing his friend with unreadable eyes.

"I think we have a lot to discuss," he finally said and turned to leave. "In my cabin, Dryden, not here."

The captain stopped to whisper something in Gaddes' ear who only nodded in reply and headed straight for his cabin, Dryden glaring after him with his fists shaking at his sides.

"I'm sorry, Millerna," he said with a loving smile when he passed her by, feeling immediately guilty by seeing the confused look on her face. "Everything will be alright. I'll explain to you later."

And with that he followed Allen, forcing his way through the crowd.

"What was that all ab--"

Dryden started to yell once inside the wooden hull of the _Black Lady_ but Allen shut him quickly up by pinning him violently against the wall, after he had closed the door. Boards protested, squeaking.

"Listen up!" he hissed and crumpled Dryden's shirt even harder in his fist. "I'm not going to justify myself for there is no reason to! I'm disappointed in you to tell the truth! I can't believe that you think it is me killing all these people out there! I thought you trust me, knowing that I would rather die than break the codex!"

Allen slowly let go of Dryden and took a step backwards, a deep scowl on his face, allowing the curly-haired man to adjust his glasses.

"Quitting the business made you weak," the blue-eyed man snarled in disapproval and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "She made you weak."

"She has nothing to do with that," Dryden replied quietly and rested his hands on the backrest of a nearby chair, looking down at the yellowed map that was pinned to Allen's table.

"She made you quit," Allen insisted, leaning casually against the wall.

"That was my decision and we already talked that over," the brown-eyed man replied slowly, glaring calmly at Allen over the brim of his glasses. "There were several reasons but yes, she was one of them."

Allen remained silent for a moment before he sighed and pushed himself off of the wall in order to lit the oil lamps in his cabin. It was getting dark now.

"Allen!" Dryden exclaimed hotly, obviously irritated by the captain's pretending-to-be-indifferent behavior. He had always hated Allen therefore. "You must understand me! What else should I think apart from you being responsible for all this? If you allow me defending myself but there is only one black ship left! Yours, just to remind you!"

"Well, obviously not!" Allen countered and slammed his hand flat on the table beside Dryden, blue eyes boring right through him.

The merchant shook his head vigorously. "That's impossible, Allen!" he replied and threw his arms in the air. "The _Oscuridad_ sank in that storm! She sank, Allen!"

"Oh, really?" Allen snapped, reaching the limit of his not so distinct patience. "Have you been a witness or what? Did you see her sink? Did you see it with your own eyes like you've been seeing this black ship? Do me a favour and face the facts for once, Dryden!"

The reason for Allen's anger was quiet and he rolled his eyes, imagining Dryden organize his messed-up thoughts in neat piles with little notes attached to them, one of them probably reading 'What Allen could possibly mean'.

"The story of two old men!" he shouted angrily and Dryden slowly pushed his glasses up his long nose. They hadn't even been out of place. "We have the story of two old men and nothing more!"

He sighed and shook his head, the blond ponytail swaying. "Let me get this straight for you," he stated and held up three fingers as if explaining to a three-year old. Dryden knitted his brows in annoyance what made Allen only smirk. "Three ships, no more and no less. You lost yours and I still have mine and I can assure you I did not find a new hobby in slaughtering people. Now, tell me what is the easiest explanation for everything?"

Dryden was looking the blond man directly in the eye, Allen's index finger between them. "You mean the folks lied to us?" he asked quietly with a frown, making Allen sigh and turn away.

"I don't mean anything," he replied and absently traced the edge of the wooden table beside him with his finger, pulling out one of the daggers that stuck in the wood. "I just had a lot of time to think about everything since they all started accusing me. You know, I've never been of more value than right now but it annoys me for it isn't my work which they reward. Allen Schezar never adorns himself with borrowed plumes."

Dryden smirked and Allen didn't even look when he threw the dagger across the room, splitting the wood where it hit the table right beside Dryden's hand. He didn't bother to blink. "Hand them my head on a silver plate and you'll be a rich man, why don't you?"

Dryden gave a laugh that made Allen look up. "I already am rich, Allen, you may keep your head on your shoulders."

The captain smacked his forehead lightly. "Ah, forgive me I forgot," he snorted. "This sincere life is so much more profitable than living the life of a poor pirate. But do tell, isn't it boring? I bet you have flagged in swordfight! I could probably..."

"Allen," Dryden interrupted him softly with a small smile. "You're doing it again."

"I don't know what you're talking about," was the gruff reply.

"Now, you're acting like a child," Dryden stated with a sigh and Allen turned his head away.

"I don't."

Dryden rolled his eyes and exhaled deeply, running a hand through his curly hair. "Well, anything to prove these thoughts of you?" he asked and Allen turned back to face him, his expression stern.

"Maybe," he answered cryptically and looked at Dryden, one blond brow raised questioningly. "Do you have it with you? I mean the reason you're actually here for?"

The merchant snorted. "Of course," he stated matter-of-factly and reached under his poncho, pulling something from out of the depths of the folds of green fabric. "Remind me to kick your butt later."

Allen blinked innocently. "Why?"

"Excuse me?" Dryden asked, slightly irritated, and threw a rolled and almost rotten sheet of paper onto the table. "You're blackmailing me if you haven't noticed yet! You had no right to pull her into this!"

"Nah, someday you'll thank me for doing it," he said with a shrug and carefully unrolled the paper on the table, his eyes shining like the ones of a little kid that was just about to put the last piece to a puzzle. "Did you plan to tell her at all?"

The silence that followed was answer enough for Allen and he quietly chuckled to himself when he pulled a sheet of torn paper from under his shirt as well. "Look and be astonished," he whispered and with a satisfied grin, he placed it right beside Dryden's one, matching sides touching each other.

"You didn't expect that, did you?" he questioned and watched with a smirk Dryden's eyes widen. "Now, say it, Dryden."

His glasses reflecting the flickering light of the oil lamps, the curly-haired man leaned with his mouth half opened over the old map that now lay on Allen's table. Because it was what the sheets of paper were; an old map which had been torn in two pieces a long time ago. Two pieces. Well, what had he exactly expected? A map. A complete map for the two pieces put together were supposed to amount to one complete map.

However, the map wasn't complete. A third piece was missing.

"Impossible."

* * *

Thankiez to all the people who reviewed!!!!!

**TennyoAngel711 not gonna sign in for fear of getting kicked off the net: **grins that her cheeks hurt Hey you!!!!!! Glad you liked it!!! Aye aye!! But so sorry for not dropping a line in forever uu Was a bit busy, forgive me!!! Maybe I'll find some time these next days!!! You'll hear from me!!!! Be afraid :P

**Spirit0: **LOL!!! Muahahaha, you don't like the commodore?? And Van!!! Awww, the poor thing!! He'll have some hard time with our dear Tomi girl Thanks so much for the review again and I hope the evil articles didn't torture you too much :P

**Cherry Dragon: **blushs like mad Thank you!!!!

**SabineballZ: **wie wild grinst Freut mich immer wieder wenn ich von dir höre!!! Hehe, Hitomi und das Schwert...jaja. War doch eigentlich klar, oder:P Van braucht schließlich jemanden, mit dem er aneinander geraten kann fies lacht Danke!!!!!!!!!!!

**Ryuu Angel: **salutes I welcome ye on the damsel's ship, aye!! grins insanely I'm so happy you like it!!! And yet again, I got a ryuu-ish review I can't help but grin when I get one of these!!! hugs you like a mad bear Muahahaha, look who entered the ship!!! I just hope I didn't finish up a blind alley with this chapter here bites nails Must still think of a way to go from there sighs What did I say about lacking inspiration?? snorts Sink me. Well, can just hope that you liked it again Was one of the rare light moments I had last week when I wrote it uu But hey, finally allowed me to update!!! Incredible!!! I'm gonna celebrate it!!! dances around But okay, I can't write anything with sense here, so I better stop I've had review replies with more content...oh boy. waves pirate hat she stole from Van See you around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crushes you in a bearish hug

**snow blossoms: **grins that her skull splits Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! And I'm so sorry for the long wait but school was just plain horrible these last weeks!!! sobs like mad

**Dreamboat Annie: **blushs hard Aye, did some research and probably watched too much _Pirates of the Carribean_ in the process Yoho, ten bottles of rum...:P I'm glad I could successfully pull you into my lil pirate universe!!! Thanks!!!!!!

**Macky: **bows to the floor Thank you!!!

**Bradybunch4529: **grins like mad I'm glad you think that!!! And lol, you mean they're meant to fight?! Bwahahaha!!! Sparks!!! I love sparks!!!

**Starry Eyed Wonder: **pats you so hard on the back that you stumble and fall flat on your nose Donna worry about late reviews!!!! uneasy laughter You know the saying about glasshouses and stones and it's some glasscastle I'm living in right now TT A glasscastle with a huge circular thingy for hamsters!!!! sobs But aye, thanks so so much for the review!!!!! hugs you like mad and grins that her skull splits Look, we're even now :P And haha, don't worry!!! I wasn't a pirate in one of my former lives like a certain teddy we know I did research. Plain old research. And Van!!! Mwahahahaha!!! You can do nothing but love him, ne?! grabs Van and drags him away Hehe, and I dunno how you do it but your reviews always have my head glowing like a tomato Thanks so so much and I'm so so happy that you like it!!! Really really :P hugs you again madly

**dawnsama: **Thanks!!!!!! Aye aye, they definitely will have a lot of fun with Millerna and Hitomi!!! The poor guys!!! Mwahahahahahaha!!!!

**Avaris Sky: **grins Glad you liked it!!! Was more like Van was the one in distress, eh?! The poor thing wasn't prepared for a furious Hitomi!!!

**little fairy: **pats you on the back Nah, not bad that you didn't review the last chapter...I tend to forget that, too sweatdrops Thankiez!!!!!!!!!!

**Lady-of-the-Lord: **scratchs head So, you liked it?! Hope it turned out the way you mentioned Thanks!!!!

**Fruity-writechic: **blushes crimson THANKS!!!! Wowie, I'm glad you liked it that much!!!!

**Sagitarious Devil: **blushs Thank you!!! And sorry for the lateness...cowers


	5. Cradle song

Chapter 5 Cradle song

* * *

A salty breeze gently stroked the tops of the waves, tugging softly at loose, black sails. Seagulls cried, performing daredevillish stunts in a cloud-less sky while sunlight was lazily dancing across the surface of the sea. The silhouette of a small island was the only change to the never- ending blue that surrounded the two ships, still anchored in a forsaken bay. Pulleys clinked quietly and the noise mixed with the sound of waves swepping against huge, wooden hulls.

The sound never changed. It was always waves swepping against wood. It was the same one like five minutes ago. It was the same one like one hour ago. It was the same stupid sound like when she woke up this morning and went to slump over the railing!

Hitomi groaned and watched yet another wave slowly splash against the ship, washing over boards that were green with algae and covered with seashells. It was probably the five thousandst wave she saw hitting the ship. She was sure she would die of excitement at any second.

A sudden yell and a string of curses that had all the Gods above pressing their hands over their ears finally caught her attention, interupting her free time activity. She felt as if she had spent aeons with watching the sea.

"By my mendacious and dishonest soul," a very disgruntled and very wet Reeden muttered under his breath when he stalked out of the door that led under deck, leaving a path of rivulents in his wake.

"Just wait, princess, I'll get you what you need!" he called over his shoulder and slammed the door shut, mumbling to himself when stomping past Hitomi, "That being a rope and a gag."

It wasn't long before Millerna entered the deck, a thoroughly satisfied look etched into her sparkling violet eyes. Hitomi just sighed and looked out at the sea when the young woman came to a stop beside her, arms innocently linked behind her back.

"Someone had quite a bit of fun in driving a poor pirate nuts, it seems," she stated casually, leaning onto the railing again, and Millerna's lips quirked briefly.

"Maybe a tiny little bit," the princess replied and tugged curls of blonde hair behind her ear, trying to stop the wind from blowing them into her face. "I decided it was time for a bath. A bath for him. And besides, there's nothing else to do around here."

For the first time this day, a smile stole across Hitomi's dry lips when her friend gave a careless shrug and rested her back against the railing, tilting her face up at the sky. "So, what are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Hitomi replied flatly. "I'm having the best time of my life."

Millerna cracked open an eye and glanced at her suspiciously. "Of course, what else?!" she drawled sarcastically. "Just be careful that you don't get a heart-attack or something."

Hitomi grinned briefly. "I'll be careful," she replied quietly, looking up at Millerna with a snort. "If they had just allowed us to go to that island, it would have been a whole lot less boring."

"Well, you do know that you could have spent your time with getting to know that new friend of yours better," the blonde woman countered smugly and Hitomi cocked a sceptical brow, following her friend's amused gaze across the deck. "If you ask me, he's promising a lot of fun and if he just quit this glare like he would bite off your head when you came closer than five meters, he could actually look quite cute."

Hitomi's keen eyes easily found Van who was sitting with his back against a mast, skillfully carving something while he was intently watching her. He stopped when he caught her gaze resting on him, returning it a moment longer before swiftly rising from the ground.

"I didn't ask you," Hitomi replied dryly, after watching the young man disappear around a corner, and cast Millerna a pointed glance.

"And I bet you two would match just perfectly," she continued, unimpressed as if she hadn't heard, violet eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Yeah, because we've got so much in common," Hitomi cooed sweetly and brushed a few stubborn strands out of her face. "Like sharing the urge to chop the other ones head off."

"That's not so uncharacteristic for a relationship, believe me," Millerna stated quietly and Hitomi's lips quirked faintly. "At least, it's often like that with me and Dryden."

With a grin, she turned to face her friend but it vanished immediately when she saw the solemn expression on Millerna's features. "They're down there since the sun set yesterday," Hitomi mumbled. "Seems as if there's a lot to talk about. Do you have any clue what it could be?"

The princess shook her head, blonde locks swaying gently. "No, I don't," she murmured and closed her eyes again. "I thought the whole kidnapping was about my father and money. I don't know what Dryden has to do with it."

"He never mentioned anything?" Hitomi questioned and she shook her head slowly. "He never let something slip? Not even a small hint that could explain something?"

The green-eyed girl snorted in frustration when she got nothing but shakes of the head in reply. "You know, it did seem as if...you know, as if they knew each other," Hitomi voiced carefully and cast Millerna a wary glance, absently fiddling with a rope that was slung across the railing.

"I know," she whispered and Hitomi was hardly able to understand her, her eyes softening. "I noticed it as well. But I..."

Millerna trailed off and raised her lilac-coloured gaze when a quiet whispering rushed across the deck, Dryden exiting Allen's cabin. With curious eyes, the men watched him cross the deck with long strides, his boots clicking over the wooden boards. Her eyes however were hard as stone, her shoulders squared, waiting for his arrival.

Although he hadn't slept at all that night, his posture was straight and confident when he came to a towering stop in front of her, fighting down the effects of tiredness. Sensing his attempt to lean down and kiss her, she quickly took a step backwards, crossing her arms determinedly in front of her chest and making his brows knit in the process.

"Can we talk?" he asked firmly and she looked stead-fastly up at him, his eyes rounded by dark rings that let them seem as if they had sunk deep into his skull.

"Talk," Millerna retorted monotonously and Dryden's brown eyes darkened ominously.

"In private, if you don't mind," he growled low in his throat, after glancing briefly at Hitomi who stood motionlessly beside Millerna.

"I don't mind," she countered casually. "But I'll tell her anyways for everything that's spoken here is of her concern, too. So, you'd spare me a lot of time if you just told her as well."

Dryden returned her intense glare with just as much determination and Hitomi instantly knew what Millerna had meant earlier; right then, they seemed like two lions, circling each other, scrutinizing each other, tense, just about to jump each other.

"As you wish, princess," he finally grumbled and mock bowed, making her knit her delicate brows irritatedly. "I just wanted to tell you that you..." he trailed off, turning his head slightly to look at Hitomi, "...that you both will get back on my ship which will instantly bring you home again, and that I'm not going to accompany you."

"What do you mean?" Millerna questioned slowly, unfolding her arms.

"I made a decision," Dryden replied quietly, averting his eyes and pushing his glasses absently up his nose. "You will return home, save and sound, and I'll take care of some business here."

"Some business that involves him..." she snarled and nodded her head at Allen who was leaning in the doorway that led to his cabin, a not very nice look directed at her, "...and his bunch of pirates, I suppose."

"This is important for me, Millerna!" Dryden insisted and an almost pleading look entered his eyes when he ran a desperate hand through his curly hair. "I can't explain everything now but I'll do later, I promise."

"I will not allow it," the princess stated simply and he groaned.

"Please, you have to understand me! I cannot return with you!"

"No, I didn't mean that," Millerna replied and shook her head lightly, making Dryden frown deeply. "I meant that I wouldn't allow you to leave me behind. I'll come with you."

"What?" he exclaimed in disbelief, eyes wide. "But Millerna – "

"But what?" she barked angrily, clenching her delicate hands to fists at her side. "You don't want your favourite little crystal glass princess to receive a scratch or something? You rather want to put her back into her glass cabinet where she can continue playing the pretty dust collector, right?"

Dryden's eyes clouded over with confusion. "What, for heaven's sake, is your problem? I simply cannot risk it! If something happened to you – Gods forbid – I could never forgive myself! Why don't you understand?"

"No, you are obviously the one who doesn't understand!" Millerna countered, her voice dangerously low, and took a step towards him, poking a finger in his chest. "I have the power to set the complete royal fleet of Asturia after you plus the ones of our allies – which are more than you can count with your ten humble fingers, Dryden dearest! Send me home and you'll never be happy again in all your life! You won't be able to commit whatever business you've elaborated all night for they will hunt you down, that I swear to the Gods!"

Dryden's lips quirked briefly, faintly, and his eyes glinted. "You sure do know that you're blackmailing me, Millerna darling," he drawled and she smirked superiorly. "And you make me seem like a sissy, surrendering to the will of my woman."

"Because you are," she stated simply and lazily leaned back against the railing. "Well?"

"Fine," he sighed and gravely noticed the sheer truimph that blazed in her amethyst eyes like a parade held only for her victory. Give her the pinky and she'll take the whole damn arm to wrench it painfully behind your back! "Allen will definitely not be pleased about it but I can just lock him up in a room with you...I wonder if he would survive."

A grin had spread across Millerna's features that reached from one ear to the other. His face fell though when he noticed that Hitomi was mirroring the expression.

"Don't grin like that, young lady," he sighed and shook his head. "This arrangement doesn't count for you. You'll return home without a single contradiction. You've got nothing to do with all this and I want it to remain that way."

After placing a gentle and luring kiss on Millerna's lips, he left with a small smile, joining Allen to have a quite animated conversation.

"Millerna!" Hitomi exclaimed, making her friend snap out of her stupor.

"Hitomi!" she yelled in excited reply and grabbed Hitomi's hands. "We're going to have a little adventure here!"

"Yeah," Hitomi snorted and averted her eyes. "The adventure of sailing home, back in the arms of a more than happy Commodore Shephard."

"Nonsense," Millerna retorted matter-of-factly and tightened her hold on Hitomi's hands. "What are you talking about?"

"He said he would send me back home and sad but true but I do not have the means to threat him with the royal fleet!" the green-eyed girl hotly shot back, brows knitted angrily. "Didn't you hear him?"

"Oh yes, I heard him perfectly fine," the princess replied with a casual shrug, a foreboding sparkle however overcoming her eyes. "And I didn't hear him say anything about you not being allowed to pull a trick on everybody so you might be able to stay with us after all."

Hitomi narrowed her eyes in distrust but Millerna simply grinned. "You do know that Dryden will surely want to inflict serious bodily harm upon you when you do that, don't you?"

The blonde woman just sighed dramatically. "He will have to pick a number then."

* * *

The sun hung low above the horizon when Dryden was standing on deck his own ship, instructing his leading seaman about the current situation; meaning to bring a reluctant and seething, little lady back home.

Raising his brown gaze, he found Millerna standing by the door that led down into the depths of the ship's wooden hull, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Dryden pushed his glasses up his nose and gave the elder man standing oposite him a stern look, making him salute quickly. With a curt nod, the captain finally excused himself and crossed the deck with long strides.

"Did you bring her to her cabin?" he questioned when he reached Millerna who had also declared war to her layers of frilled dresses and decided to slip into more comfortable clothing.

"I did," she replied firmly and for a brief moment Dryden thought he saw a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, although he couldn't explain it.

"Did you lock the door?" he continued and looked firmly at her over the rim of his glasses, trying detect the source of the smile but finding her lips unmoving.

"I did," Millerna answered, her face expressionless. "Gave her bread and water so she might survive the journey home? Yes, I did, too."

"Millerna..." he growled but she just frowned, pretending to be in deep thought.

"Oh no!" the princess suddenly exclaimed, perfectly mastering the art of feigning utter shock while combining it with biting sarcasm, setting her arms akimbo. "I forgot to chain her to a bar at the window, I'm so sorry!"

"Tell me why I suddenly feel like ripping your beautiful head off of your shoulders," Dryden hissed through his teeth when flashing her a brilliant smile.

"Tell me why you suddenly turned into a heartless block of wood," she countered sweetly, returning him a smile that was like candy.

He sighed and ran a desperate hand through his brown locks. "It was for her own good and you know that very well, Millerna," he reminded her softly and was surprised to see her shrug.

"Maybe," the violet-eyed woman mumbled and swiftly brushed past Dryden, heading back to the plank that connected Dryden's ship with the Black Lady. The young man just shook his head and followed his princess.

A general bustle was filling the deck when they entered, pirates loudly gathering, their captain calmly sitting on top of the staircase that led up to the rudder. Dryden pulled the plank onto the ship and waved his hand at Allen, a slight grin on his features.

"Weigh anchor and make sail, captain!" he shouted and Allen repeated the order, earning yells of appreciation from his crew.

The noise of boots hurrying across wooden boards filled the warm air, pulleys clinking and chains rattling. Two gigantic anchors slowly broke the surface of the crystal clear sea, the wet, black metal sparkling under the southern sun while black sails flawlessly unfolded in a strong breeze.

Standing at the stern of his ship, Allen adjusted his tri-cornered hat and propped a foot onto the railing that separated him from the deck below, piercing blue eyes scanning his flock of noisy pirates.

"Ladies, be quiet, please!" he shouted over their heads when the last ones had returned from climbing in the rigging but still refused to calm down. "Your captain wants to tell you something!"

Immediately, the murmur died down and Allen took off his head, the ship ever so slowly gaining speed. "Thank you," the blonde captain said with a grin. "You all probably noticed that I locked myself in my cabin for the whole night and I can tell you it was not in vain. I made a decision and therefore I want to welcome back an old friend; Dryden Fassa, once known as the infamous captain of the _Trade Wind_!"

Every head on deck turned and Millerna found her mouth slightly opening when she stared up at Dryden and the crowd erupted into cheers, his eyes closed and a tiny smile playing across his lips. "You're exaggerating, Captain Shezar!" he yelled across the deck and bowed low. "This isn't a comeback of any sort! I'm just paying...well, a little visit, you could say."

"Whatever!" Allen countered and pulled two sheets of paper from his vest, holding them up. "This is the map that our fathers created and which leads to the treasure they both spent their lives searching for!"

"Unfortunately!" he shouted when whispers rushed like waves across the deck. "Unfortunately, it's not complete and we first have to find the missing part, before we can go get the fortune every pirate dreams of since he stole his first candy when being still in pampers!"

Millerna was finally able to tear her gaze away from Dryden whom she had been watching with narrowed eyes. A picture was slowly forming in her mind, and with every new information she got, Dryden was getting closer to being beheaded before the next sunrise.

The deck was flooded with the light of the setting sun, making the black boards look as if they were soaked with blood. Her lilac-coloured eyes strayed over the mass of pirates and she shook her head softly about how easy it was to make their eyes glow like the ones of little kids at Christmas. She slightly turned her head when she spotted a single figure resting against the railing, a bit aside.

Van's eyes reflected the dying light of the day and it seemed as if they were burning with an eternal, inner fire. While listening to Allen, his gaze was darting back to stare at the ship that was shrinking in the distance with every meter the Black Lady passed. Feeling watched, the young man glanced around and his eyes immediately hardened when he found Millerna looking at him with a smirk on her features, making heat rising into his cheeks.

Satisfied, the princess watched Van leave his position and push his way past some pirates, his tall form disappearing within the crowd.

"But!" Allen spoke up again, catching Millerna's attention. "To find the third piece, we have to find that rumored black ship which is quite successfully destroying our miserable reputation by making people think us demons; the _Oscuridad_!"

Millerna blinked in surprise when a dead silence suddenly fell upon them, making it seem as if she had been thrown into the water, the only noise being the roaring of the sea.

"We'll hunt the shadow of the seas and take what we need!" the captain yelled. "And the only person who survived an encounter with them, will help us!" He grinned when the first, hesitant shouts of agreement echoed into the sky and whispered to himself, "I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Anne Flint."

* * *

The sun had long set, the fireball extinguished in an expanse of endless blue, passing the reign over the sky to the moon. The _Black Lady_ was steadily ploughing her way through liquid silver that was being stirred up by a strong breeze, black sails swelling proudly. The only noise was the rattling of the rigging and the continuous whisper of the sea.

More than six hours had passed since they had left Dryden's ship and assuming that the other crew had left the little bay not long after, there was half a day between them now. Half a day between the _Black Lady_ and the ship that would bring Hitomi back home. Well, the ship that was _supposed_ to bring Hitomi back home.

The deck was painted in shadows and silence, the whole crew dead asleep in their cabins except for the unlucky fellow who had to stand by the rudder, busy with yawning. It was when the hatch down to the store quietly opened and a figure swiftly slipped out, a blanket slung over narrow shoulders.

Hitomi idly brushed a wheat-coloured strand out of her eyes when she reached the railing, and took a deep breath. The air in the room under deck where she had hidden herself had been simply unbearable, sticky and old. Millerna had told her to wait until the ship had fallen completely silent, before coming out of the hiding-place. Down there, squeezed between barrels and boxes, she had thought the men on the deck would stay awake all night for it had seemed that it would never be quiet up there.

And now, Hitomi was alone there, only the night keeping her company. She hadn't expected Millerna's plan to work out at all. But in the end, everybody had been simply too busy that they didn't actually notice that she hadn't even put a foot onto the other ship. Nobody had noticed that Millerna had left Allen's ship alone, without her.

The young woman sighed heavily. She would stay. She would really stay with a bunch of pirates. Her father would disinherit her if he ever got to know. No, at first, he would get a heart-attack and then inherit her. Her father. What he was perhaps doing right then? _Sleeping_, she thought with a tiny smile. Or pacing a ditch into the floor of his study for he had gotten the news of her being kidnapped, probably just yesterday.

Hitomi was so lost in thoughts, so lost in the stories the Sea was telling her that she almost didn't hear the faint melody that delicately weaved itself around the wind. She straightened slightly and pricked her ears, listening to the fragile music that was winding around her, sounding like raindrops on the smooth surface of a pond. It was sad in a way but nevertheless it made her forget the chilling cold of this cloudless night, making time slow down. And she couldn't help but feel a slight familiarity, the melody waking a warmth inside her; a warmth that was connected with pleasant memories and yet she couldn't put her finger on it.

She opened her eyes again when the last tune which had seemed as if it wanted to last forever slowly faded in the dark, and felt her lips turn up in a hesitant smile.

It vanished the second she heard a loud, rattling noise from behind her that made her almost jump out of her skin. Swirling around with wide eyes, she caught the glimpse of a shadow that flawlessly dropped from a mast and landed on the deck without making any noise. Frozen to the spot, she watched the shadow approach with cat-like grace.

"You!" she hissed when the moonlight gently pulled the dark from well-known features, revealing a confused Van who was cast in silver light.

"I could say exactly the same," he replied dryly and stepped closer, a flute in his left hand. "What, in the name of the Seven Seas, are you doing here? You were supposed to sail back to your home on Dryden's ship!"

"Well, obviously, I'm not," she retorted flatly and turned away from his eyes that easily pierced the shadows between them.

"Who do you think you are?!" Van suddenly barked and reached out to take a hold of her shoulder, forcing her back around so she faced him. "You're risking the lives of the complete crew by playing this stupid game of hide and seek! Dryden didn't want you here because your father would search all the seas for you – what he'll probably do now for you're obviously not on your way home and when he finds you he will also find us, big surprise here! Though I doubt you thought of that."

For a brief moment, her eyes widened and she lightly squirmed in his grip, a disdainful smirk curving on his lips. "Just like I expected," he continued coldly and she violently wrenched out of his grasp. "Why should you rack your brains about other people? All you ever think about is yourself and your wishes and desires!"

"You know nothing!" she spat in reply and took a step away from him, pulling the blanket tightly around her shoulders.

"Yeah, obviously not!" Van retorted, bristling. "Why do you pull such a stunt to stay here when there actually is someone who's probably wringing his manicured hands and sweating through his awfully expensive silk shirts, sick with worry about you? Why do you want to stay here so badly when there is a place you can call home and where you can return to?"

"You wouldn't want to return either," Hitomi replied in a whisper that Van had to strain his ears, and slumped over the railing. "You wouldn't want to return if you knew all that would await you were maids that got heart- attacks when you've got just one smear of dirt on your clothing; maids that stuffed you in a dress every morning, cutting off your major blood and oxygen supply. You wouldn't want to return if you knew you had to attend manner classes just because your father thinks it will be a good therapy to cure your personality complex. You wouldn't want to return if you knew there was someone waiting for the right moment to propose to you."

Hitomi had her back turned to Van so she couldn't see the turmoil of emotions that was visible in his eyes, showing the inner battle he was bloodily fighting that very moment. He couldn't decide if he either should just quietly creep away and leave her talking to the wind or if he should stay; although there was actually no reason for him to stay. No reason at all.

Rolling his auburn eyes and groaning inwardly in frustration, Van took a slow step towards her, wordlessly joining her side. He knew he would regret it later. He just knew it.

"Allen won't be happy, though," he mumbled and ran a hand through strands of pitch-black hair that were sticking together because of the salt, Hitomi glancing at him out of the corners of her eyes.

"Do you think he'll turn around and bring me back to the other ship?" she questioned quietly and Van cast her a quick glance.

"He'll go ballistic when he finds out," he replied casually and propped his elbows on the slightly wet railing. "But it will be mostly because he's going to lose days in case he brings you back. Even worse when he doesn't find out until in the morning. The distance between us and Dryden's trading ship is growing with every passing minute. He probably won't be able to afford it."

Hitomi truly thought she had lost her mind. Was it just her or did he actually imply he wouldn't run and wake Allen so he could tell him about the stow-away? An expression of pure suspicion in her eyes, she turned to face his profile and found herself gaping at the sight of the smile that was gently etched onto his features. It was only a small curve on his lips that could actually turn into a lopsided grin if he allowed it, and it made his whole face soften, even his eyes that seemed to be made of solid stone all the time. It was the first expression akin to genuine amusement she saw on him, no disdain or arrogance contorting it.

"What?" he snarled when he caught her staring at him, ruining the peaceful moment. "Surprised that I can be civil as well?"

_Surprised that you can actually smile_, she wanted to say but swallowed the words and decided to ignore his rhetorical question, her cheeks already on fire. Despite her reluctance, her eyes involuntarily darted back to him, the slim flute he was skilfully twirling between his fingers once more catching her attention.

"Did you play the flute earlier?" Hitomi broke the silence that had, unnoticed by the two of them, settled quietly around them by then.

Her brows slightly rose in surprise when she watched him jerk and quickly hide the flute in a pocket of his loose pants. She could swear that a red hue had crept upon his cheeks that moment.

"It was a beautiful melody," she continued, an amused smile on her features.

"Do you know it?" Van suddenly asked and took a deep breath, making her cock a questioning eyebrow at him. "I mean the melody...have you heard it somewhere before?"

"I -" Hitomi started to answer but stopped dazedly when watching strands of onyx-coloured hair graze his cheeks ever so softly, a forlorn expression in his eyes that were the colour of the sea at sunset. "Why do you ask? Where is it from?"

"I don't know," he snorted and ruffled his hair in a sudden arising of frustration. "I don't know where I got it from! But it's there, in my mind, all the damn time, driving me completely crazy! I play every free minute, hoping that one day, I'll finally remember where I heard it before."

He looked over at her and flushed when he saw the dumbfounded expression on her face. "Just forget it," he muttered, embarrassed, and turned away again. "It's not important."

"Okay," she whispered, and visibly squirmed when searching for her next words. "But you know, for it looks like I will stay a little while longer, you could tell me your name so I'm not forced to refer to you as 'You' any longer..."

His lips quirked again when she trailed off but he bit down the smile, deciding that he had acted oddly enough within these last minutes for the next months. And he couldn't even blame the full moon for the disc was only filled to three quarters with silver light. What the hell was wrong with him?

"My name is Van," he said softly and when he turned to face her and found her looking expectantly up at him, he could do nothing but mirror her expression.

"Van what?" Hitomi questioned warily.

"What do you mean?"

"Your last name," she stated and knitted her brows in slight confusion. "Don't you want to give me your last name as well?"

His eyes immediately darkened, as if the sun had finally set completely, taking the last light with her and leaving the sea black. "What does it matter if I tell you or not?" he snapped hotly. "What does it matter if I've got a last name or not? Would you think me lower if I told you I had none?"

"No, wait! I didn't mean to – "

"You think you're so much better than me, so much better than all of us here, don't you?" he interrupted her sharply, his voice dangerously low. "And I tell you, you're not! You're just the spoiled brat I thought you to be when I first met you!"

He had spat the last words with so much disgust, as if they were pieces of rotten meat. And although her mind was swirling with offending retorts and colourful insults, her eyes ablaze with a green fire, Hitomi found herself rendered speechless, his icy eyes freezing her to the spot.

"I wished I had dragged you on the other ship myself and had locked you under deck there!" Van hissed and swiftly turned around, merging into shadows again when he walked off.

Hearing a door slam shut, Hitomi blinked and then rolled her eyes, burying her face in her arms with a groan. "Gods, it was just a question!" she muttered into the fabric of the blanket that shielded her from the cold of the night.

"He's a bit touchy concerning this topic," a snide voice suddenly said from out of the darkness behind her, making her jump in shock.

"Who's there?" she barked, spinning around and scanning the deck that was tinted in silver and black with angry, green eyes. Her hands curled briefly to fists when she saw a tail swing in the moonlight and Merle stepped from behind a pile of boxes, licking her paw as if she had no care in the world.

"You upset him," she stated flatly and looked up at Hitomi with eyes that reflected the moonlight like mirrors.

"Oh really?" the young woman replied dryly. "I didn't notice."

"Quit the sarcasm for a minute, will you?!" Merle hissed and bared her pointed canine teeth, her tail jerking over the deck.

"Hey, it wasn't as if I provoked him intentionally!" Hitomi countered, outraged. "I couldn't know that he would freak out about it! I didn't even say that it was bad to have no last name or something like that."

"It's not that he doesn't have a last name," the cat-girl informed her with a shrug, her ears twitching in a cool breeze that carried the whisper of the sea.

"So, why then the scene?"

"He just can't remember it, that's all," Merle answered and waved her hand casually, making Hitomi frown. "And now, come in. It'll be getting even colder tonight. I'll show you a place where you can sleep for I don't suppose you want to return back to the store."

"How...?" she trailed off, her brows shooting up in surprise, and Merle smirked condescendingly.

"You smell like fish," was the curt retort, and she turned up her nose at Hitomi as if to prove her point. "Not to say you stink an awfully lot like it."

Hitomi quickly narrowed her eyes in a sharp glare. "So, you are telling me that you're not going to sneak on to Allen in order to get me kicked off the ship...?" she voiced lowly, holding tightly onto the blanket so not to simply jump the cat-girl and strangle her.

"Although it would be highly amusing to see you kicked off and I wouldn't hesitate one second to do it myself, I won't tell him," Merle replied cheekily, looking down her nose at Hitomi all the time. "But just for you'll have to live with the knowledge that you were only able to stay because of my generosity."

With a fluent and graceful motion, she turned and silently headed back to the cabins on all fours, a bristling and stinking Hitomi in her wake.

* * *

**Spirit0:** Haha, someone got it here!! I'm the almighty creator of the story and will reveal things when I think the time has come to do so!!! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Bow to me, mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!! blinks confusedly Temporary insanity, forgive me :P And hey, I fell very honoured because of the re-reading thing blushs beyond red Can only hope you like this one as well...though there isn't anything akin to fluff in it yet...note the YET here, please :P Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Lady Rose Jade:** Lol, thank you!!! I'll read your story when I find the time!!!

Oh ja, Sonne, Sand, Ozean und halbnackte, knackige Kerle...das wär's seufz Freut mich, dass es dir gefällt!! Und wie gesagt, ich behalt mir deine Ideen und die angebotene Hilfe auf Vorrat wie bekloppt grins Danke!!!!!!!!!

**Cherry Dragon:** Thanks!!!!!!!!

**dreamingofflyingaway:** blushs Thank you!! Will have to give you a magic pen then that'll do all the homework for you ...a gap in the market, bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! I'll develop it and become filthy stinking rich!!! Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

**Jhoeydagger:** bows low Thank you!!

**Macky:** salutes Aye, capt'n:P Thanks!!

**SabineballZ:** Lol, na ganz so schlimm bin ich nun auch wieder nicht :P Zumal es auch nicht soooo geheimnisvoll ist, da du die Hälfte eh schon wieder erraten hast zwinker Hoffe es hat dir wieder so gut gefallen!!! Danke!!!!!!

**Lady-of-the-Lord**: Oh, that sounds quite embarrassing pat pat Hope you didn't kill yourself by smacking your head on the table so hard!!! Thanks!!!

**Kya**: waves pirate hat she borrowed from a friend Yoho, I welcome ye on board then!!!!! And aye, I did plan to finish them both!! Thank you!!!! grins

**TennyoAngel711:** YOU'RE ALIVE!!!!! glomps you Was so good to hear from you again!! grins like a madwoman Missed you, too!!!! I'm so looking forward to the day I get something to read by you again!!!! grins even harder Thanks for the proof of life!!!!

**Bhavs:** blushs and quickly stops you from bashing your head No no, don't do this!! You'll seriously hurt yourself coz I'm a loser at updating sweatdrops Hope you're still sane and thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

**ryu:** blushs like mad Thank you!!! But hey, it's not that I don't want to update soon, okay?! sobs

**f-zelda:** drumroll Heeeere you gooooo:P I know it's been ages!!! Thanks!!

**SabrinaYutsuki:** Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! grins

**DesolateAznVamp:** Lol, aye aye!!!!

**Star-brella:** Whoa, hold your horses:P You will have to wait a lil bit longer to have all questions answered!! cackles evilly Thanks!!!!

**A/N:** And here I am, back with another update, just as promised :P I don't know when the next chapter will be up and I can't guarantee that it won't take three months again uu I'll be kind of busy in August and September but will try to write whenever I find the time!!!

See you around,

Dariel


	6. Island of Remembrance

Chapter 6 Island of Remembrance

* * *

Salt. It was everywhere; covering the wooden boards of the deck, threaded into the ropes of the rigging, weaved into the feathers of the seagulls. The unmistakable scent was riding on a warm breeze that ruffled her hair affectionately when she stepped on deck, tangling it and placing the taste of salt on her lips.

The pleasantly fresh air was a welcoming change to the stuffy rooms within the hull of the huge ship. Every time she was down there, she felt as if one of the whales, she often saw at the horizon, had swallowed her, the creaking of the old wood like slow breathing and the rhythmical sound of the waves like the beating of a mighty heart.

It was an odd place. An odd place with odd people. Some of them were too tall for her taste or had too many tattoos; sometimes it was like a bloody novel inked into their skin! And they did nothing all day long! Absolutely nothing! Every time she found one of them, they were either dozing in the shadows, playing cards or trying to look evil and menacing.

But strangely enough, she felt at ease. Maybe it was because she could be herself. She didn't have to play a role, didn't have to try to be somebody else, somebody she wasn't, just to please everybody. She didn't have to be careful with tons of frills, didn't have to watch her language and manners. Here, nobody cared. Nobody cared that her hands were dirty, that her clothes were torn.

Or maybe she had just spent too much time down under deck and the lack of oxygen had killed the brain cells that controlled her common sense which resulted in her feeling comfortable around pirates.

Whatever it was, one thing was for sure; she had definitely spent too much time around Merle. Gods help her but that girl was knitting a scarf out of her nerves. Hitomi only wondered why everybody on this ship was still – in a way – normal and hadn't gone committing murder. Kill or be killed. She had decided for _or _and had fled the kitchen. She wasn't the type for blood spilling.

But who was she to complain? This was all her choice. Aye.

While fingering the tear-shaped gem that hung at a fragile chain around her neck, she was startled out of her thoughts by a deep voice.

"Where are you headed, young lady?" Turning her head, she looked up into the smiling face of a bald-headed man. She knitted her brows in concentration, trying to align the face to the bunch of names in her head. Ah right, Ort.

Hitomi shaded her eyes with one hand, sunlight twinkling from between swollen sails. "Your Captain's cabin."

His polished scalp reflected the sunlight like a mirror. "Capt'n's in a good mood," he stated and stretched lazily, before going back to carving. A heap of shavings had already gathered at his feet. "Take advantage of him. He likes being wrapped around a beautiful lady's finger."

She narrowed her eyes, not knowing what to make of it. Pirates were a mystery to her. She never knew if they were making fun of her or if they were sincere with what they said.

Shrugging, she decided to ignore Ort's comment and with a brief nod at him, she left for the captain's quarter at the other end of the deck. The cries of the seagulls were accompanying her and with every step she took her fists were unconsciously clenching and uncurling faster. Why was it that this picture was haunting her mind of her standing at the very end of the plank, the waves greedily gurgling beneath her feet?

The captain would not kick her off of the ship, no.

She had successfully managed to avoid the blond man for this last day but she had known the time would come that she had to face him. After all, she was the only unwanted person on this ship. Thinking about it, it was a pretty depressing fact. Maybe she should just jump off of the plank on her own. A perfect header. The sharks would applaud her right before feasting.

"Come in!"

She blinked. Several times. After a few moments of digesting, she found herself in front of Allen's door, frowning. She hadn't knocked, had she? Looking at her raised fist, she glowered. Traitorous hand.

The door squeaked horribly when she opened it, the scent of books filling her nostrils at once. Hitomi was blinded by the light that was streaming through the windows at the opposite wall and bathing the room. When she opened her eyes again they widened ever so slowly.

Books. It seemed as if the walls were made of books. It were hundreds of them, neatly aligned, piling up to the ceiling. Stepping into the room, her gaze swept greedily over the shelves, drinking in the sight.

"Beautiful to look at, aren't they?" a slow drawl startled her out of her state of awe and her head snapped up.

A dark silhouette peeled from the sunlight, wood creaking faintly. Narrowing her eyes, Hitomi took a step backwards when Allen rounded the firm table in the center of the room and joined her side.

"I stole them all." His words were bold and entwined with a casualness that she didn't doubt him for a second. Looking up at the captain, she found him grinning broadly at her, a few strands that had escaped his loose ponytail grazing his cheeks. "Though..." he continued with a slender finger at his chin and looked thoughtfully past her. "Some of the books were presents from my crew...but they also stole them, so it doesn't matter, I suppose." He shrugged.

Hitomi was staring shamelessly at the man in front of her. Light and shadow were casting contrasts across his features like a painter in ecstasy, the contours of his nose sharp, cheekbones and jaw-line perfectly drawn with shadows. She inhaled involuntarily when he focused his eyes on her again, the blue irises the only flecks of colour in the black and white sketch that was his face.

"I guess you know why you're here," he stated nonchalantly and Hitomi immediately averted her gaze. "You're not supposed to be on this ship."

"I know." Her voice was no more than a whisper, drowned by the murmur of the sea that seemed to come from between the books.

"You should have left with the other ship." He crossed his arms behind his back like a teacher about to lecture a rebellious student. "You should have gone back to your father."

"I know." Her voice was raising ever so slowly, a fire igniting within her eyes.

"Because of you we've got even more idiots in ridiculous uniforms going after our heads."

"I know."

"We're running a higher risk now. We could be tracked down. We could run straight into on of them for they probably have all the coasts from Asturia to the north pole sprinkled with ships."

"I KNOW!" Her yelled words echoing in his ears, Allen lazily arched a brow and watched her fists clench at her sides. "I've been told already. More than once! But I don't know why I should care! My father will send someone to come and get me and to get you finally arrested!"

Looking him square in the eye, her fingers twitching like she was restraining herself from strangling him right on the spot. She wasn't going to eat any more of the accusation she had been fed with during the last hours. When he gave her a superior grin in reply, her blood reached the boiling-point.

Allen leaned down slightly before he spoke up, irritating her even more. "At first, you risk your pretty head to stay here and now you're suddenly so eager to go back home?" Hitomi faltered like a balloon that lost its air within the blink of an eye. "Lying doesn't suit you, you know?" he whispered into her ear before pulling away, blue eyes sparkling.

Hitomi's face was a blank mask, every emotion scared from her features by the chilling glare she was sending Allen. The blond man hid his smirk, knowing he had been entirely right about her. She thought she could pretend she didn't care about anything but her eyes betrayed her.

And he knew she wouldn't give in. She wouldn't try to convince him otherwise or beg if he decided to send her away. She would go. She was too proud to admit what had been so clearly written across her face just moments before.

Allen turned his back to her and let his gaze roam over the shelves that hemmed the walls of his cabin. "Okay, listen to me, _lady_ Hitomi," he started and drummed his fingers on the table. "For you managed to waste a whole day until you finally met my eye, I cannot bring you back myself."

He glanced at her over his shoulder but found her as stiff as before, however her knuckles seemed whiter. He waited a torturing second longer before he continued. "I decided to allow you to stay."

Still no reaction.

Allen grinned inwardly, determined to make it his task to lure an explosion out of her again some day.

Straightening, he folded his arms in front of his chest. "You can stay when you obey a few little rules. First of all, you stand out of my crew's and my way. Second, you won't just sleep away your time. This ship only works when everybody on it works. Gaddes will give you something to do."

The playfulness suddenly vanished from his features and storm-clouds darkened his eyes. "And the last but most important rule, the one that you'll still obey even if you screwed the other ones is that you will never ever criticise the motives behind my actions. You can doubt my actions, really. Sometimes I'm out of my mind, I admit it. But never the motives. Never. It is something you'll probably never understand, however I don't blame you. Just stick to the rules and we'll be a happy lil family."

Hitomi's lips twitched but she fought down the smile that was about to split her skull. "And remember, I've still got the option to give you to the sharks." His eyes twinkled boyishly. "But I won't...not yet. It depends on your behavior. Understood?!"

"Yes." Even though it was only a short word, it vibrated with excitement.

"That's 'Aye, Cap'n!' for you," Allen told her and she squared her shoulders.

"Aye, Cap'n!"

"Good, now go get yourself some work." He dismissed her with a careless wave of his hand and although she turned hurriedly around, he saw the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Hitomi felt like she was going to burst any second. A yelp of triumph was threatening to break from her lips and she forced herself to contain it. She wouldn't show any kind of appreciation or even thankfulness to feed the captain's already-too-big ego. She wouldn't flatter him. She would wait until she was outside until she would start with her victory dance.

Lost in her planning, she didn't notice the obstacle that waited behind the door. Going through the upcoming conversation with Millerna in her mind, she bumped right into a warm body and was surprised to find a pair of familiar eyes smiling at her over the rim of slim glasses.

"Any reason for the hurry?" Dryden asked and swiftly stepped out of her way, holding the door open for her. "And for the goofy smile?"

She immediately wiped it off of her features like a stain off a pane. "No." She shrugged and pushed softly past him, before taking two steps at once up to the deck.

His eyes following her until she had disappeared, he spoke quietly. "You let her stay?" With one fluent move that had his poncho swaying, he turned around and entered Allen's cabin. "What about the risk? The danger?"

Allen gave a laugh, his back facing his friend and accomplice of old times. "C'mon!" he chuckled, watching seagulls float on the breeze that was following in he wake of the _Black Lady_. "Three third of this planet consist of water and trying to find us is like searching the proverbial needle in the heap of hay."

Dryden closed the door to the cabin quietly and took a few more steps into the room and into the sunlight, his glasses sparkling "But you're not sailing all these three third."

"What are you trying to get at?" Allen's words were calmly spoken when he turned around, casual and indifferent.

"Just wondered why you decided for this option," Dryden replied casually and shrugged, yet his expression was speaking a different language. "I know you've got a preference for women with temper."

Allen walked away from the window and took position opposite Dryden, the table between them. "Why are you here? To question my decisions?" There was nothing in his voice that indicated anger or offence but extreme boredom, like he had been through situations like these more than he would have liked to.

"In a way." Slowly, Dryden took off his glasses and cleaned them at his poncho, as if he didn't have any care in the world. "I came to ask you why we're heading south..."

Allen grinned and Dryden noticed it out of the corners of his eyes. "The Isla de la Gaviotas is north-west and where will we find her if not there? You cannot probably want to search the Seven Seas for her, do you?!"

"The place where we can find her is never surer than today," the blond man stated and his eyes seemed to lose focus, something unreadable swimming in the azure sea of his orbs. "Today's the fifth anniversary of her father's death."

An expression of surprise rushed quickly across Dryden's features, his hand hovering mere inches in front of his nose. Blinking, he closed his mouth and finally adjusted his glasses. "So, she'll be on the Isla del Recuerdo, the Island of Remembrance."

"Exactly." Allen turned back around to watch the weightless dance of the seagulls. "And when the wind maintains, we'll reach the island in less than three hours."

* * *

The clinking of dishes faintly echoed along the hallways under deck, a shimmer of light visible through the slit of the door that lead to the kitchen. Behind this door, chaos ruled. A cloud of steam was hovering where water boiled in gigantic pots, vegetables piling on a huge wooden table. And in between, there were Millerna and Hitomi, one peeling potatoes and the other fighting with a mountain of dirty dishes, both obeying the orders of the Queen of the Kitchen – Merle.

"I don't care if you're a princess or not, okay?!" the cat-girl yelled over the noise coming from the stove while hacking carrots, her pink hair tamed by a scarf. "So stop treating your fingers with care and hurry up! Those potatoes won't peel themselves!"

Millerna rolled her eyes at Hitomi who bit down a grin when the princess winked and wiped her forehead. The blonde woman then cocked her head to one side and looked closely at one potato. "Really?" She turned the potato in her hand and squinted her eyes as if in great concentration, nearing it to her face until she almost touched it with her nose. "I bet if it's male, I can make it strip for me."

Looking up, she met Merle's eyes across the table and was surprised that the cat-girl's look didn't scare the potato right out of its skin for it was simply murderous. Without hesitating, Millerna went right back to peeling.

"And get a move on," Merle deadpanned while continuing to cut her carrots. "They're hungry."

The blonde's brows knitted ominously at these last words and her lilac-coloured eyes darkened. "Why do you allow that to happen?" There was nothing playful or teasing about her voice but an air of disbelief. "I mean, you're probably spending the whole day down here in the kitchen to cook for that bunch of barbarians out there!"

Hitomi stopped washing the dirty plate she was holding and cast a wary glance at Merle, not knowing what to expect from the girl. However, she was surprised to find an almost sympathetic smile lingering on her lips while she was still calmly cutting carrots.

"Of course, you wouldn't do that voluntarily, right?" she replied in no more than a whisper, her parrot ruffling its feathers with quiet, cooing noises. "You were always served but you probably don't even know who prepares the meals you get on silver plates. They don't appear out of thin air, you know?"

Millerna's delicate brows knitted even harder and Hitomi watched her clench her fists, Merle continuing before she was able to speak up. "Everybody's doing something on this ship. And because Allen didn't allow me to help them in fighting, I said I would at least cook for them then. But it's just normal that you can't understand that."

A bell rang in Hitomi's mind by recognizing the words but despite the spark of anger they had lit inside her, she decided to interfere; a spark inside her was a raging fire inside Millerna that had the princess' blood dangerously close to boiling. "But it must be quite hard then to cook for all of them alone," she stated and forced a bit of nonchalance to her voice, vigorously trying to avoid her friend's piercing glare. "We hardly manage it now and there are three of us!"

Merle looked finally up, a proud shimmer detectable in her eyes. "Aye, it is. Even more so because they seem to have a bottomless stomach," she added dryly. "They can eat all the bloody time!…..Didn't I tell you to continue?"

Her features had hardened by the moment she had spotted Millerna. Millerna not peeling potatoes, that is.

"I'm done," she retorted icily, returning the glare.

The cat-girl blinked, her tail swishing quickly from one side to the other. The parrot had stopped washing itself and was now watching the scene interestedly, the feathery head curiously cocked to the side. "What?! You cannot be done! Did you peel all the potatoes as I told you?"

"Yes, I did."

Merle didn't move, only stared, the sound of her tail whipping through the air the only noise. With a sudden and abrupt movement, she had rounded the table and inspected the sack, only to find it empty. "Oh, just great!" she exclaimed and threw it into the nearest corner. "I told them 'We'll be running out of potatoes soon. Go get me some or starve.' What's there to not understand? These imbeciles! If you want something to be done, you have to do it yourself!"

Hitomi and Millerna exchanged wary glances when the pink-haired fur ball went on muttering under her breath while scribbling something on a piece of paper that was pinned to a mast with a dagger.

Without turning around, she barked, "Hitomi, you done?!"

The green-eyed girl jerked out of her staring and almost dropped the plate she had been holding the whole time. Catching it by turning an artistically knot in her arms, she looked at the heap of dirty dishes that didn't seemed to have shrunken in this last hour. "Nope."

"Doesn't matter." Merle turned around and pointed a clawed finger at her. "Go get somebody to bring me a sack of rice. If they don't get me potatoes, I give them rice. Their choice." When she found Hitomi giving her a blank look she raised a suspicious brow. "Grown roots or what?"

"What about Millerna? She's already finished with..."

"Nah..." Merle interrupted her and turned her attention to the princess. "The princess will help me cut the vegetables...at least it's something she's good at."

Millerna returned the smug grin Merle was giving her and Hitomi shrugged, wiping her hands at a towel before leaving the kitchen. She wasn't so sure she would find the both of them alive when she returned. She wouldn't be surprised though if they had ripped each other to pieces.

Her footsteps were swallowed by the lazy creaking of wood when she entered the labyrinth of hallways. The kitchen was hidden deeply within the hull of the ship and she passed by the storerooms on her way up to the deck. That was where she supposed she would find somebody to fulfil Merle's wish. She was just about to start humming a melody she had caught sometime during the day, when she heard the voices.

"I saw you looking at her." Lazily drawled, the words crawled along the hallway. A pause. Then, "Lady Hitomi, of course, you idiot!"

Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks, jade-coloured eyes dangerously narrowed. She had intended to pass them Merle's order right away but the blasted curiosity inside her pressed her against the wall and clamped her mouth shut.

"You like her, don't you?!" Again, the words were teasing, provoking, a sly smile interlaced with them.

"Gaddes…" She held her breath, the sound of her heartbeat reverberating from the walls around her. She knew the voice. Deep, calm and cold, like the sea before a storm.

"I cannot blame you..." she could almost see Gaddes shrug, a betraying heat crawling into her cheeks. "She's about you're age after all. Must be the longest time you spent around a girl your age, no wonder you're a bit nervous…"

Her heart was beating a mile a minute while she was listening to the footsteps coming closer, Gaddes' voice increasing in volume. They were almost there. Some more steps and they would round the corner and spot her. Hitomi cast a quick glance over her shoulder and down the endlessly long hallway. If she ran away now and managed to hide in one of the storerooms without them noticing her, she wouldn't be able to hear the end of their conversation. And she wouldn't hear it either when they found her there and interrupted their talk. She wouldn't get to know his reaction.

But she wanted to know how he was going to reply...and she wanted to kick herself for it! She couldn't understand herself! What was wrong with her? Standing at a corner and eavesdropping on two guys talking about her?! Waiting with an almost bursting heart to get caught just because she was so awfully curious?

And for about the first time in her life, luck was on her side.

"Will you stop it?!" Hitomi jerked at Van's outburst, the sound of the footsteps dying. It was like he was standing directly beside her – which he probably was, only the corner shielding her from his view. "I don't like her one bit! She's absolutely not my type! I mean, she looks like a boy and acts like one as well!"

Delicate brows knitted violently and green eyes darkened. "She annoys the hell out of me! I have never experienced something like this but when I'm around her, I feel this incredible urge to tear her apart! And I've only known her for three days! In the few but already too many occasions we met we ended up fighting in one way or the other and one day, it will result in either one of us or both of us dead! And I bet she'll be the one to behead me first."

Van ended the discussion with a casual sweep of his hand, breathless, and attempted to continue his way. Gaddes grinned at his back and followed the raven-haired youth. Hands in the pockets of his pants, Van rounded the corner and ran straight into the sparkling blade of a sword.

At least that was what the looks felt like Hitomi was giving him. His heart dropped right to the hollows of his knees when he saw her standing there, shoulders squared, chin raised and arms determinedly crossed in front of her chest. She was stabbing him with her glares, quite violently and quite feverishly. Over and over again.

He was too busy staring at her that he didn't notice Gaddes who was trying his best to cover his grin with his hand, his eyes dancing with laughter.

"I'll take that bet." Her voice could have frozen a lake and Van felt like he was pinned to the wall by icicles.

A cough and a clap on his shoulder shook him out of his stiffness. "Sorry pal, Cap'n's waiting." Gaddes nodded politely at Hitomi and when his gaze caught Van, he mouthed 'Good luck'. Chuckling at the murderous glare he got in reply, the short-haired man turned away and trotted down the hallway.

The tenseness in the silence between them was tangible, hovering like thick fog in the hallway. "Merle needs somebody to get her some rice," Hitomi stated flatly, not able to hide the slight satisfaction at the obvious uneasiness in his behavior; his hands moving restlessly at his sides and his eyes avoiding her with vigour.

Only for a brief moment, they rested on her ones, gracing her with ever-present doubt and distrust. "Does she?"

Hitomi rolled her eyes and could hardly restrain herself from throwing her hands in the air. "Despite what you think, I'm not five years old." She cast him a dry look. "I don't find my daily amusement in taking the piss out of people by chasing them across the ship for nothing. So, just go get her the stupid rice!"

Muttering obscenities under her breath, she turned on her heels and stalked down the hallway. He couldn't possibly be so dense, right?! If yes, she was going to lose the last tiny bit of belief she had had in the male species.

"What's the matter?" Millerna asked in confusion when Hitomi burst through the door with an ominous dark cloud hovering above her head.

"Men are such pea-brains!" she exclaimed and fell on a chair beside the curly haired princess, staring off into space.

Millerna raised a brow, looking even more confused. "And?"

Hitomi grunted.

"Ah, I think I know your problem." A grin crept across the princess' features that had Hitomi glaring. "Tall, dark-haired, unique auburn eyes, always acting as if he went out of bed with the wrong foot..." She chuckled at the look her friend was giving her and added in a whispered singsong voice, "Speak of the devil."

Devil, aye. Add a pair of horns and the picture was perfect. She watched him balance the sack on his shoulder when he entered the kitchen, before carelessly dropping it to the floor so that the boards squeaked in protest. Van shrugged and the word _What?_ flashed across his innocent features when Merle gave him the look of a mother about to scold her little son.

"Next time, be more careful for when the linen tears, I'll have you pick up the corns one by one." She wiped her forehead and curtly nodded at the door. "And do me a favour and unload that last box. I wanted to do it one of these days but I haven't come around."

It was when his gaze almost accidentally brushed over her, seizing her with impassive eyes and making her realize that she was staring at him. But before the redness could creep into her cheeks or before she could hastily turn away, he had already averted his eyes, facing Merle again. To Hitomi's utter surprise, he saluted with a quick, "Aye aye, ma'am!" and was gone, his quiet footsteps fading.

"You've got him whipped." Millerna looked actually genuinely impressed.

Merle just shrugged. "No obeying my orders means no food. It's so easy even they can understand it."

Throwing her head back, Millerna erupted into loud and unrestrained laughter, luring a tiny smile from Merle's lips. "Okay," she exclaimed between chuckles. "Do you need me any longer or may I leave? Breathing something else than onion vapours, you know?"

"No no, you can go." Merle waved her paw dismissingly, holding her nose over a huge pot with soup. "Hitomi will keep me company."

Giving Hitomi a smile that was like honey and receiving one that was like acid, she stepped out in the hallway. But instead of turning to climb the steps to the deck, Millerna headed straight for the quarters. For one certain quarter to be exact. She didn't hesitate nor did she knock, just opened the door and briskly entered the small room.

When the door was slammed shut, Dryden's head snapped up from the book he had been reading and his eyes widened slightly.

"What?" she mocked and crossed her arms in front of her chest, her hair glowing golden in the light that bathed the cabin. "Surprised to see me? Or can't you remember me anymore for you were proving the be a real master in avoiding me lately?"

Closing the book, he rested his eyes calmly on her. "Millerna..."

She interrupted him with a gruff sweep of her hand. "Enough kid-gloving me! It's about time you answer some of the questions which grew from the latest events. The truth won't break me, Dryden."

A breath of silence passed before he nodded faintly and pointed at the chair that was squeezed between the table and the bed. "Sit down."

"I rather stand, thank you."

"Very well," he replied and turned to cast a quick glance out of the round window beside him before facing Millerna again, folding his hands in his lap. "You know me as a merchant and from what I told, you probably think I always have been one. Now, after what you heard here, you may believe it were all lies but I can reassure you most of it wasn't. I did follow in my father's footsteps, the only thing that makes everything a bit more complicated is just that he wasn't a merchant like you assumed but a pirate."

His gaze wasn't wavering and neither was her one. "My father was Meiden Fassa and my ship was the _Trade Wind._ You remember when you joked about my name and how similar it was to the one of the infamous pirate, how you said we could be related? Funny if you consider that you pretty much hit the truth."

Dryden turned away, directing his eyes at the window, his desk, his documents, everything but her. "I was a pirate when I first met you. I had dressed up to get one of my crew members out of jail. What a coincidence that you were on the marketplace at the same time, don't you think? I have often thought about what would have been if I had never met you that day."

Millerna just stood there, staring at him, her eyes resembling shining, lifeless glass pearls. "Anyways, you probably saved my life," he continued. "I had often thought about quitting the business but there had never been a real motivation. But your big mouth changed it all."

"The three years it took until you returned to me..." She left the sentence unfinished, the words hovering in the air like a melody broken by a wrong tune.

He nodded his head softly, still refusing to look at her. "Aye, that was the time I needed to...wash my hands clean."

"To put gloves on, you mean."

Unseen to her, a smile stumbled across his lips. "I promised to return, no matter what. And returning I did. Merchant Dryden Fassa at your service."

Millerna stared intently at his profile, biting hard on her lip and clenching her fists at her sides. "What happened to your ship?"

"It..." he hesitated and closed his eyes for a brief moment, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It sank."

"How favourable," she bit out and he finally turned around, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry, Millerna."

Raindrops on lilac-blossoms, that was what he thought of when he saw her orbs, long lashes sticking together at the corners of her eyes. He wanted to say something but she had left even before his lips parted, a soundless shattering echoing in the silence; his construction of lies had finally crumbled.

* * *

Cerulean eyes scanned calm waters. There was hardly any wind stirring the water of the little bay that snuggled against the white sand of a small island. Where storms had bent the fragile trunks, fans of palm trees tenderly touched the surface of the sea like the brush of a painter would dip into turquoise oils. Where waves tried to wash the fine sand even whiter, the voices of the island were drowned by the murmur of the sea.

A faint smile rushed across his lips, his eyes resting on the ship that had dropped anchor where turquoise merged into deep blue, the _Northern Star_. He had been right – not that he had ever doubted it.

A grunt made him snap out of his thoughts and he turned his head to watch Dryden and Gaddes pull their boat ashore, sand crunching under the wooden hull. Allen had decided it would be just the three of them to enter the island, they had only come for a conversation after all.

He watched Dryden straighten and squint up at the sky, his glasses sparkling in the sunlight. He looked tired with his shoulders sagging and an air of defeat around him.

Adjusting, his hat, Allen walked up to his friend and motioned for him to follow, Gaddes joining behind them in respectful distance. By the moment they entered the green hell that covered the island like a blanket of moving and rustling leaves, a wet heat laying an invisible hand around their throats, making it hard to breathe.

"Dryden," Allen spoke finally, after having watched the other man long enough.

"Allen," was the court reply.

The blond captain frowned, blue eyes darkening. "You look like you just ate a jelly fish. Problems with your woman?"

Dryden sighed and wiped his brows with the back of his hand. "Is it printed across my forehead or what?" He turned to cast a brief, dry glare at his companion, swatting a mosquito off his cheek. "Allen, as much I appreciate your faked concern but I'm not the one to pour out my heart to everybody."

"You hurt me!" Allen put a hand on his heart and sent Dryden an offended look. "I'm definitely not _everybody_."

Dryden shook his head and turned to push away some of the greenery that blocked the narrow path they were following. "I'd be careful if I were you. I could give in to the urge to throttle you, at any second for this is more or less your fault."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but the credit for this is entirely yours," the blue-eyed captain retorted nonchalantly, bending his upper body in a bow. "No shifting the guilt onto poor Allen, my friend. And you can be glad I'm not the one to say 'I told you so'."

Dryden snorted, scratching the back of the neck feverishly. "Thank you. I know to esteem your generosity."

"Don't worry, you'll patch everything up, all in good time." Allen clapped his friend on the shoulder and took the lead. "She's a blockhead, just like you."

Dryden narrowed his eyes and was just about to bark a reply when the trees around them suddenly retreated, revealing a clearing that was flooded with sunlight. The trees seemed to bow to the innumerable gravestones that were scattered across the place, some sparkling whilst other ones already crumbled, surrendering to time and age. The air was hovering like weightless liquid over the graves, a swarm of butterflies dancing around a stone nearby.

Turning his head slightly, Dryden watched Allen scan the shadows that hemmed the clearing and was surprised the find him salute. He pushed his glasses up his nose and his eyes suddenly widened when he spotted the giant who was peeling slowly from the foliage around him, the play of shadows on his huge body a perfect camouflage. Despite his almost suffocating height and chest measurement, he was almost invisible, leaning calmly against the trunk of a palm tree.

A light nudge at his arm made Dryden snap out of his thoughts. He looked confusedly at Gaddes who was nodding his head in the opposite direction, before leaving to join the huge man in the shadows of the trees. Feeling slightly lost, Dryden hurried to follow Allen who was striding across the place, passing by graves of captains and seconds in command, cooks and other crew members of various ships. Like parts of a skeleton out of desert sand they grew out of the burnt grass, broken reminders of past lives. Some of them more than a hundred years old

It was the Island of Remembrance, the place to pay one's last respects to the ones that had fallen in fight, had died of diseases or of age. The latter covered the smallest amount of graves.

Dryden pricked his ears when a faint melody reached his ears and shielding his eyes, he let his gaze wonder to where Allen was heading at.

She was sitting on a black gravestone that was sparkling like the calm surface of a black sea. Tendrils of tiny white flowers were clinging to the stone, the leaves tickling her shins and bare feet. Twirling a white orchid between her fingers, she had her head tilted up to the sky and hummed a song, sunlight bathing her even features.

A faint smile played about the corners of her lips when she heard the approaching footsteps and she stopped twirling the orchid. Dark lashes lazily revealed brown orbs. Spotting Allen beside her, an intelligent sparkle flashed within her boundless eyes and their corners crinkled, making her look as if she knew more than she was actually supposed to.

"Captain Flint, always a pleasure to meet you." Taking off his hat, Allen bowed low before flashing her a charming smile.

"Schezar." Anne Flint nodded at him, shining brown curls tumbling over her shoulders, and turned to inspect the bespectacled man who had just joined Allen's side. "I didna believe the rumours when I 'eard them but obviously, they're true."

Dryden returned her greeting and tapped his right temple with two fingers, knitting his brows at her curiously tilted head. "What rumours?"

"That capt'n Dryden Fassa 'as returned," she replied and her lips parted in a bright smile that danced up to her eyebrows. "Welcome back."

Dryden frowned even more. "How can you know?"

"News like that spread faster than smallpox." She shrugged carelessly.

"And that's the problem with rumours," he countered and grinned back at her. "They're only partly true. I didn't return...I'm only visiting."

The expression on her features didn't change, however the fire within her eyes seemed to have intensified. "Well then, te what do I owe the honour o' yer visit?" Her voice was as clear as a mountain sea and just as unpredictable; it could look as if it was only a few meters deep but in fact had a depth of dozens of meters.

"There are some questions we would like to ask," Allen interfered before Dryden could reply and took a step ahead, shoving his friend slightly out of the way.

Anne raised a suspicious brow, cocking her head to the side, and _Well? _seemed to appear on her forehead in bold. He hesitated for the briefest of moments, narrowing his eyes at the hardly visible twitching of the corners of her lips. She knew what he was going to ask.

"This is about your father." Allen shifted his weight onto his other foot, trying to find a casual stance. "He was friends with our old men and he knew about their plan, he knew about the journey, he knew what happened that night during the storm. And he told you. So, what happened to the third piece of the map?" Obviously, he wasn't the one to beat about the bush.

There was a tense silence, the wind ruffling the burnt grass that covered the clearing before Anne finally hopped off the gravestone. "Very interestin' question indeed," she nodded gravely and seconds later, a wide grin appeared on her face. "I hope ye feel better, now that ye ask'd it. 'ave a safe journey."

Allen clenched his fists. "Anne," he warned and she put her tri-cornered hat calmly back on top of her head, looking at the blonde man from under the brim.

"Aye?" Her eyes were dark, shadows cast over them like a veil. "Ye only said ye wanted te ask a question, ye didna say that ye expected an ans'er as well."

"I didn't come all the way to play your games," he growled.

"Too bad." She sighed and tilted her face up at the sky, squinting against the sunlight.

Allen cast a glance at Dryden who was watching the young woman intensely. "Anne, what did he know?"

"Too much." A sad smile tugged at her lips when she turned towards the grave, and placed the orchid gently on the black stone that wore her father's name. "Ye know that he didna go on this journey with yer fathers 'cause o' me, don't ye?" She looked at both men and shook her head softly, brown curls swaying.

She kissed her fingertips and stretched out her hand to touch the warm stone. "No, ye don't. 'Cause he would 'ave joined in, ye know? He would 'ave, if my mother 'adn't died by that time, leavin' him with a girl o' ten years an' without a clue o' how te deal with her."

The playfulness was gone from her face, gone from her lips and gone from the crinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her hat was casting shadows across her features, dimming the fire in her eyes. "The ship didna sink..."

Allen already opened his mouth to tell her that he knew but she stopped the words from leaving his lips when she raised her hand. "It 'ad been attacked in that storm."

Two pairs of eyes widened simultaneously. "Attacked?!" Allen echoed. "The _Oscuridad_ had been attacked?! But how? Why? And who in the name of the Seven Seas would be so crazy as to attack that ship?"

"I don't know how or why." Anne shook her head softly, a cold smile etched onto her features. "But I can tell ye who. A bunch o' demons. The ones who are now murderin' under the flag of the _Oscuridad_."

"But what happened to the crew?" Dryden questioned and pushed his glasses up his sharp nose, eyes narrowed.

"...Dead. Probably all o' them." She sighed and turned to look him square in the eye. "Yer fathers didna lie. They tol' ye that there were only two pieces te the map 'cause fer them the third piece was lost, a sacrifice te the sea. Howe'er, it wasn't. An' father found out."

"He found the third piece!" Allen exclaimed.

"Yes, an' what good did it?" she retorted hotly, her eyes blazing with anger. "He paid with his life fer it!"

A heavy silence settled over them like rain clouds over a valley. Allen watched the woman in front of him with hard eyes – before a dazzling smile split the grim line that was his mouth. "Oh, I see. You don't want to tell me for you're worried about me." He tapped his hat and winked at her. "But I can assure you, I'll be careful and will return to you, I promise."

Anne couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You're really temptin' me 'ere, Schezar. Ye not returnin'...man, that would be somethin'." She snorted. "I'm not worried! I just don't wanna be the one te be blamed fer a complete dork sendin' his crew straight te death."

"Generous, aren't we?" Allen grinned widely.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Tell me one thin'." He raised a blond brow in questioning. "Why now? Why after all those years. Why not right when me father died?"

Dryden was surprised to see Allen avert his gaze, taking off his hat to run a hand through his hair. The captain usually wasn't the one to break eye contact. "Let's just say I found the time hadn't come yet."

Anne was motionless but behind her brown eyes her mind was doing first-class performances. "Why do ye want te continue where yer father stopped, at all? What is it that ye're expectin' te gain?"

"I want to know what was so important for him, what he thought worth risking his life for," Allen answered calmly and his voice was void any humour, his eyes hard. "I want to know what meant so much to him, what meant more to him than I did."

The silence that followed his words like seagulls in the wake of a ship, dancing weightlessly on the warm air was torn by the shrieking of monkeys. They were chasing each other from branch to branch, making the trees around them shake and the leaves rustle loudly. "There's an islan'," Anne finally spoke up. "153° 44' 23'' west an' 22° 31' 40'' south. Abou' six days from 'ere, five an' a half when ye're lucky. Depends on the wind. The entrance to the cave is on the east side so you should approach from the west if you value your life. They'll be there."

"Thank you." Allen smiled at her; not cocky or teasing or charming but genuinely thankful, his blue eyes dancing in the sunlight. She raised a suspicious brow.

"Be careful." Anne Flint turned her back on the two men and stared at the grave of her father. "Don't forget that ye're responsible fer yer crew, both o' ye."

Both captains bowed to her behind her back and left, leaving the young woman to herself, the wind whispering secrets in her ear.

* * *

Only a few lonely sunbeams found their way into the storage room under deck, dancing along the slim blade of a sword. Delicate hands held it tightly, the sound of quick breaths the only noise. Green eyes were clouded with concentration, her forehead creased and wet strands sticking to her skin.

She could hardly make out her surroundings, the outlines of boxes, sacks and barrels twisting at the edges of her view for the play of light and shadows made her vision swim. She didn't care. She didn't need to see her surroundings. Taking a deep breath again, she raised the sword she had "borrowed" from one of the crew members and positioned her feet. Her arms already hurt from the violent practice but it only made her increase her speed.

She had come down there to distract herself. Distract herself from thinking about home, about her father. She knew he was worried sick, probably moving heaven and earth to get her back. He thought she had been kidnapped, thought she was suffering. He didn't know it had been her choice to stay and guilt was nagging at her, twenty-four hours a day. He was going to kill her if he found out.

Reaching back and exhaling deeply, she swung the sword around her head in a fluent movement and brought it back down, stopping the tip of her blade on the level where her opponent's head would have been. She didn't even take a breath before she repeated the move from the other side, the blade singing through the air. Metal sparkled. A foot slid easily over wooden boards. Dust danced along transparent sunbeams.

With the next step backwards, she hid the sword behind her body, hesitated a moment, a heartbeat, blood roaring in her ears and suddenly sliced the air from bottom to top. Again, Hitomi stopped abruptly and the tip of the sword didn't even sway the slightest bit. She was in perfect control.

Panting, she turned on the spot and attempted to carry out a thrust over her head but stumbled over her own feet. Irritating the dust on the ground when she breathed heavily, the young woman kneeled on the black boards.

Frustrated, she rose from the ground and wiped her forehead, positioning herself again. She repeated the combinations of thrusts and blows only to find herself on her knees again after turning on the spot.

"The position of your feet is wrong. That's why it doesn't work." Her head snapped up and her eyes flew to the figure lurking in the shadows, her pupils shrinking to almost invisible black spots.

With the grace and agility of a lioness, she jumped to her feet. Clouds of dust rose from the ground where her boots came in contact with it. A reflection of sunlight flashed across familiar features. Wood creaked. The song of the sword began to unfold, opening like a bud in spring. Heavy air was vibrating before it exploded in a clash. Sparks flew. Silence followed.

Her eyes bore into his when she stood panting, her arms shaking when she pressed against his sword. Features impassive, he held her gaze over their crossed blades.

"I didn't ask for advice," Hitomi hissed and gritted her teeth harder when the pain in her arms increased, cursing his strength.

"If I hadn't reacted that fast, you'd have lost the bet already." An amused sparkle that flashed across his eyes like lightening across endless plains had her anger soaring.

Van watched her features darken before she pulled away and raised her arms for a thrust. Expecting the blow, he parried it as well as three following ones.

"Did you only come to humiliate me?" The words came out in between pants, first trails of exhaustion audible in her voice.

"No, not only," Van replied easily, dodging a blow that had been aimed at his abdomen and using his momentum to strike himself.

He caught her off-guard, breaking through her defence in the second she cocked a surprised brow at his comment. Hitomi bit down a shriek when her sword was knocked out of her hands, sending flashes of sunlight flickering over the walls as it swirled through the air before hitting the ground with a clattering noise, several meters away.

She took a step backwards, the tip of a sword pointing at her throat.

Looking up with eyes that were seething jade, she expected to find malice on his features, a sardonic smile or a gloating expression but there was none. Only an appraising look and auburn eyes that were filled with curiosity.

"What do you want?" she spat.

Van retracted his sword and after sheathing it, headed for her one with long strides, swiftly picking it up. She knitted her brows when the reflection on the blade blinded her briefly. "I want you to tell me about the man who taught you to use a sword like this."

Hitomi snorted in disbelief and brushed a strand of honey-coloured hair out of her forehead before crossing her arms in front of her chest. "And why should I do that? All you did up to now was annoying me, irritating me, calling me names...I think you get the point. Do you think I owe you something for not sneaking me on to the captain that night or what?"

He weighed her sword in his hand, turning it slowly and making the reflections dance over his unreadable features. She watched his dark eyes play hide and seek in the shadows of the unruly strands that tumbled into his view while waiting for his answer. And for the briefest of moments, she thought she saw the flicker of a smile lurking at the corners of his mouth but the twilight could have tricked her.

"Yes, I do." Their gazes collided. "But I'm sparing that for later."

Green eyes narrowed. "Why then should _I_ do _you_ a favour? What's in it for me?"

A quick movement of his arm was the only thing she saw and the next thing she knew was that her sword was flying through the air. Reaching out, she caught it in midair and rewarded him with an angry glare.

"A sparing partner."

She suspiciously raised a delicate brow at his words, watching him intently.

"This is not an offer to be friends or anything, don't worry," Van added, slightly shocked, when he saw her look. "You don't have to be nice to me, you don't have to feel obliged to talk to me or socialize with me. And that goes for me, too, concerning you."

Hitomi remained silent, pondering his words and searching his face for at least one bloody hint to what was going on in his birdbrain.

"Whenever you want to I can help you with your technique." He shrugged, trying to pretend carelessness. "It's not bad but you're lacking experience. Tell me something about your teacher and I'll show you some tricks."

She was hardly able to restrain herself from smirking. He really wanted the information.

Making the most out of the opportunity of keeping him in suspense, she watched him a torturing moment longer, thoroughly enjoying the little power she suddenly had over him.

"Deal," she finally said, stretching out her arm and offering him her hand.

Stepping into the light completely, he took it and with the shadows chased from his features, she saw that the corners of his lips were indeed faintly twitching.

"Good." And with that said, he instantly turned around and merged into the twilight of the storeroom.

Hitomi finally allowed the smirk to break across her lips. Always wanting to have the last word, always pretending to have the upper hand. But this time, she knew better. He obviously didn't want to admit that he was dependent on her but he wanted the information and she could provide it. It felt good to be in control of the situation when her opponent was somebody whom nothing but the little cat-girl seemed to affect, to whom nothing seemed to mean anything at all and nothing seemed worth caring for.

This was promising to be fun.

* * *

**SabineballZ:** ::auch wie die Grinsekatze grins:: Es gefällt immer noch!!! YAY!!! Und lol, Millerna!! Jap, ich wollte halt keine verwöhnte Zicke aus ihr machen!! Danke!!!!

**Inda**: Lol, thank you!!!

**dreamingofflyingaway:** ::blushes madly:: Aye, thankiez::waves pirate hat:: I was never sailing but I think I'd be feeding the fish all the time anyway :P:P:P

**SabrinaYutsuki**: Mwahahahaha, he's quite captured your attention, ne::grins her head off:: Though I'll need some more time to start solving mysteries :P:P Thanks!!!

**Macky**: Thank you!!

**watergoddess**: LOL!! Thanks!!! And in case you meant "update" there you go!!!!!!!

**Ryuu Angel:** HEY THERE::jumps at you and hugs you bearishly goatishly rainbowishly ma-aaa-ad:: A ryuu-ish review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MEGOSH::shakes head over and over again:: How I missed them!!! Really::cackles:: Mwahahahaha, and see who made an appearance again::throws confetti:: Happy?! And oh oh ooh!!! If you want to add something to her character or anything, just tell me!!!!!!!!! Mwahahaha, it's you after all::grins like mad:: And somehow, I simply have to include stripping pirates::gears working:: Must find a way to make them strip!!! Bwahahahaha!!! Wouldn't that be something??? Bwahahaha::hugs madly again:: Hope you liked it, lassie!! See it as an early Christmas present ::grins her head off:: Yoho yoho, a pirate's life for you!!! Thanks a ton!!!!!!!!!!!! (And oh oh ooh!! Tell me if the Spanish was correct, please::sweatdrops:: Forgot to ask you ::sobs::)

**Sazuka Chan:** Lol, weeeeeell, I didn't take "another 3 months or so" to update...I umm...took six::sweatdrops:: But yeah, busy I am but that's just the way it is ("things will never be the same ::hums::) And it's quite ironic when you think of that this was updating as soon as I could, oh well! But thanks!!!!

**Ah Young Song:** ::sweatdrops:: If you didn't forget everything what happened up to now, I'll give you a cookie! And hey, didn't know the story's like caffeine :P:P Thanks!!!

**f-zelda:** ::bursts out laughing:: Is it that obvious that they will fall for each other?! I thought they were going to chop off each other's head first :P Thank you!!

**clavira:** ::wipes brows:: Glad that this is the only disappointment ::grins:: Thankiez!!!

**Spirit0: **I'm alive!! Bwahahaha!!! Amazing, isn't it?! I know, I do amaze myself every once in a while ::grins stupidly:: Anyways, you see that I've got quite something to do with the story...lots of things to reveal, aye aye. And I'm afraid but you'll have to pick up other stories for a good bit of fluff for a while longer :P And thanks again for a wonderfully...umm...unique review ::grins like mad::

**Cherry Dragon:** Lol, thanks!!!

**Evergladelord:** ::grins herself silly:: Thank you!!!

**Liarra:** "I'm lovin' it, bada ba ba baaa." (Disclaimer: I don't own the McDonald's song!!) :P Thanks!!!

**Fruity-writechick: **::blushes madly:: Thanks!!! And hah ::scratches head in embarrassment:: I've been asked to read stories and review and I haven't managed a single one::feels bad:: So, if I should ever find the time, I will review but I canna promise anything, sorry!

**Ravyn-09:** Haha, making up is good ::sweatdrops:: To make up for taking so long to update, I had to write some hundred pages or something...and to write that much would take even more time and I would take even longer to update and would have to make up even more...it's a vicious circle, I tell you ::crosses arms in front of chest:: But it is longer than the last chapter :P Thank you!!!

**A/N: What can I say? Life is hectic, college is keeping me busy, everything turned out to be a lot more time-consuming than I thought. And humble me can do nothing but deal with it :P**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR::throws tinsels and confetti:: **

**See you next year,**

**Dariel **


	7. Lost and Found

A/N: Alrighty, after quiiiite some time (::cough::understatement::cough::) I'm back with this one and I only have one major announcement for you. Due to the fact that time does take its toll on some people and as much as I'd loved being 18, I, unfortunately have aged within the last four years :P And because I can relate a whole lot better to people my age, I decided to change the age of the characters (that I do not own) in this story. I know, I hate it when people do that and I'm sorry but I feel a lot more comfortable that way. So yes, they've all been upgraded some 4 years, making Van and Hitomi roughly 23 years old. I changed that in the earlier chapters already, adding some experience with women for Van and a smoking hot tween body for Merle. She's going to be some competition ::grins::

Previously on "Beyond the Horizon": In order to get Dryden to cooperate Allen came up with a genius plan (or so he thinks) that now has Millerna and Hitomi annoying the bejeesus out of him. He is convinced it will be worth it in the end. Allen calls one piece of a map his own that is supposed to reveal the way to a rumoured treasure. Dryden has the second piece and they had to find out that there is a third piece out there. Allen has an inkling of who could be in possession of the third piece, Anne Flint knows where to find him. Meanwhile, Hitomi and Van decide to call a truce to avoid further blood shedding. He is going to improve her swordsmanship and she is going to help him remember...

* * *

Chapter 7 – Lost and Found

* * *

His words echoed within the cave when he spoke. "Dilandau?"

Dilandau scratched his cheek and watched his superior standing in the shallow part of the little bay that was trapped by the cave like water in the palm of a hand. Stones crunched under his boots when he took one step ahead. "The captain wishes to speak with you, Folken."

Folken turned and water splashed around his legs. He could feel the cold seep through the leather of his boots. "Did he say what about?"

"No, and I'm not his goddamn messenger." Dilandau ran a pale hand angrily through his hair and glared at Folken. His eyes glowed crimson in the dim light. "What are you doing there anyway?"

"I guess I'm waiting." Folken turned to look out at the calm bay again. The water was almost black like a liquid night sky except for the reflections of the torchlight that were dancing on the waves like will-o'-the-wisps.

He could feel anticipation stir in the pit of his stomach. Anticipation and something else, something he couldn't grasp, something that wasn't tangible. It was as if the air was vibrating and every fiber in his body was responding. It was an old feeling, a familiar feeling but nothing he could put into words. It was something he had almost forgotten, something that had been buried deep inside him and was now slowly awaking, stretching its limbs painfully because they hadn't been used in such a long time.

"Whatever." Dilandau shook his head and the echo of his footsteps followed him when he left.

Folken stepped out of the water and slowly followed down the path Dilandau had taken. The air in the cave was old and cold and smelled of wet stone but he preferred it to the hot and sticky air outside. It was always the same outside. Always hot. Always water. Always a ship they pillaged. Always people that died. It bored him.

They had left the ship anchored in front of the entrance and had entered the cave for reasons unknown to Folken. They had been at the hiding place just a few days ago and there was no need to refill the stocks. They had enough for another week or more. But nobody dared asking, nobody dared questioning what they were doing, nobody cared. Maybe the captain would finally tell him.

The voices of the other crew members reverberated from the walls, an echo of wine and laughter. They were strewn throughout the cave, in between the things they had stolen. Coins clinked faintly. Every once in a while he heard the tinkle of jewellery.

The noises faded the deeper he walked into the cave. A few dying candles were illuminating the room when he entered. Their nervous light cast fickle shadows across the stony walls and the old man who sat hunched behind a battered table.

"You can feel it, don't you, Folken?" His voice was rough with age. It showed all over his body in the deep wrinkles that covered the skin under his eyes and around his mouth and all the way down his skinny arms.

Folken looked at his captain with an unreadable expression on his face. "Things are changing."

The captain looked up and his purple eyes were clear and glowing, creating a strong contrast to his physical vulnerability. "They are. Why do you think did we come here? I know you've been wondering about it."

Folken held the stare although he knew that the old man was looking right into him, reading his thoughts, reading his soul. Folken knew that feeling of being probed, being tested. He didn't care. He had nothing to hide. "I think you have your reasons."

"I do." Wrinkled lips stretched in a smile. "We've been in pursuit of the missing parts of the map and now I know it was unnecessary. The missing parts will come find us."

Somewhere water dripped from the walls and sent an irritating echo into the room. "Why now?"

"Because they have started searching as well." The captain leaned back in his chair and his beard flowed around him like a white waterfall. "All these years they have been sleeping in their owners pocket and I have been searching the seas for them without success. Now that they are awaking the search has come to an end. They will find each other."

Folken narrowed his eyes. With the years he had learned not to question his captain. "Why now?"

He folded his slim fingers over his beard. "Because everything is coming together now. The dice is cast, Fate steps back and watches her work."

Fate. The captain was always talking about Fate. He was obsessed with Fate and Folken was following in his very footsteps. There was something about the captain, about his voice and the way his eyes sparkled, there was a conviction and absolute certainty that Folken couldn't evade. He believed his captain and he would follow him beyond the horizon.

"Folken, we are so close."

"I know." Folken nodded swiftly and walked out of the room. There was nothing else that needed to be said. The captain knew everything that had not been said.

He found Dilandau slouched against the wall in the hallway. He had taken a torch from the wall and was dragging his fingers through the flame that was licking his skin greedily. Its hot tongue left a trail of soot smeared across his fingertips.

"What'd the captain say?" he asked and watched Folken approach, the light of the fire reflected in his eyes.

"We're waiting." Folken passed his crew member by without looking up. He could feel Dilandau's eyes burning into the back of his head.

"I'm sick and tired of waiting. It's been more than a week since we pillaged the last ship. The crew is getting nervous when just sitting around." Anger and impatience were laced with his words and he wasn't even trying to hide it. He wanted Folken to know. A lethal combination, especially when concerning Dilandau.

Folken stopped and looked at Dilandau over his shoulder. He was impatient himself. It was time for things to change. They had been waiting too long. They deserved what they were searching for. He deserved it. "_You_ are getting nervous when just sitting around, Dilandau. Learn to contain your temper."

Dilandau's brows knitted and cast shadows across his ruby eyes. "But it's stupid to just sit and wait. We're not achieving anything. The other parts of the map are not going to come flying to us."

A smile touched the corner of Folken's lip and he turned back around. "The captain thinks otherwise."

Dilandau bit his lip and Folken's smile stretched wider into the shadows under his eyes. Dilandau would not dare to contradict the captain. He knew better than that. And Folken knew, too.

"We're waiting and that's an order."

* * *

It was hot and it was boring. Hitomi usually wasn't the one to whine about things she couldn't change but it was really hot and really boring. The sun was mercilessly beating down on her and made her skin burn.

They had been following Allen's course for the last two days and thus far it had been rather uneventful. Adding to that there wasn't a lot to do on the ship and Millerna was sulking in her cabin, no longer a source of entertainment. Dryden's little revelation had hit her hard.

Hitomi had hoped Van would show up for that sparring session he had proposed. It had been three days since their encounter in the storage room and he had mastered the art of avoiding her. Obviously, he wasn't as interested in what she had to say and there was no way in hell that she would be seen crawling on her knees, begging him to show her a few tricks with the sword. She rather watched the ocean all day long.

The faint fragrance of lilac mixed with the salty air and in its fragility it seemed slightly out of place against the harsh, rough scent of the sea. The rustle of clothes announced Millerna's arrival and Hitomi had to smile when the princess unceremoniously slouched against the railing beside her.

"Men suck. Especially Dryden."

Hitomi chuckled and glanced at Millerna. Her blonde mane was spread out across her back and a few stray curls swayed slightly in the breeze. "Tell me about it."

Millerna sighed and looked up at her, not able to hide the pained look in her eyes. "I cannot believe he didn't tell me. Forgot to mention this minuscule detail of his past."

Her voice was laced with hurt and Hitomi winced. "Millerna, he probably just wanted to –-"

"Don't you dare protect him!" the princess interrupted her angrily but quickly caught herself when she saw the shocked expression on her friend's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to blow up in your face."

Sweat tickled down Hitomi's temples and between her breasts although she wasn't even moving. The air was hot when she inhaled and it seemed to stick to her skin like her wet shirt to her back. "It's okay, I guess. It really bothers you, doesn't it?"

Millerna turned to look out at the sea. "Yeah, it does. It's like he doesn't trust me enough and it hurts because I'm willing to give up my country for him."

Seagulls cried into their silence and they could hear the laughter of Allen's crew echo across the deck. Hitomi didn't reply. She didn't know what to say, not able to imagine what a burden Millerna carried on her slender shoulders, what a decision she would eventually have to make and how the consequences would haunt her entire life.

"So, what's your story?"

Hitomi blinked. "Huh?"

Millerna waved a hand in exasperation and some of her haughty air seemed to resurface. "When I said that men sucked you agreed. What's the story behind that?"

"Oh, that." She growled low in her throat and wiped her forehead. "That idiot, Van, found me in the storage room when I was practicing with a sword. He criticized my technique and said we could have a sparring session in exchange of some information about a guy he and I probably both know."

Millerna raised her brows and Hitomi rolled her eyes. "It's been three days, he hasn't shown up yet and I'm sick of waiting for him but too proud to go ask if he'd deem himself to go spar with me."

"You're right on the horns of a dilemma, aren't you?" Millerna put a finger to her cheek, her eyes sparkling. "Tragic, yet very entertaining."

Hitomi shoved her. "Shut up."

Millerna groaned and turned around, leaning with her back against the railing and resting her arms on top of it. She surveyed the deck and the lazy pirates that were clustered across it. "Well, there is a way to find out what...you know..."

She trailed off and her eyes spoke all the words she did not voice. A feeling of dread wrapped around Hitomi's heart like a cold hand and squeezed it. She reached for the pendent around her neck and shook her head determinedly. "No, Millerna. You know I'm not doing it anymore."

"But the cards could tell us what's best to do and if those idiots are going to come crawling to us any time soon." Her voice was pleading. "Just one reading."

"No, I promised not to do it again. I _promised_ it, Millerna." Hitomi looked down at the floor boards but all she saw was the face of her father, his eyes pleading her.

The princess sighed. "We have to take the painful way then. The only other possibility I see to solve this rather stupid situation of ours is that we have to be the mature ones this time and take the first step."

"Guess so." Hitomi grinned and caught Millerna's eyes.

"Let's go find our men!" she exclaimed a little too excited and pushed herself off of the railing.

Hitomi watched her stalk across the deck with a slight shake of the head. But she had to admit that Millerna was right. Hitomi Kanzaki, daughter to the governor of Joya Verde had always prided herself on not being the spoilt brat everyone thought her to be, had prided herself on not being complicated in a very female kind of way. Time to prove it.

With a sigh, she crossed the deck and when she couldn't find him playing cards with the rest of the crew there, she went to the staircase that led underneath the deck. Sunlight filtered through slits in the boards and she saw dust dancing on the slim rays. She could hear the ship breathe, the wood creaking softly with every breath it took.

She checked the kitchen for she knew that Merle spent a lot of time there and that Van spent a lot of time hanging around Merle. The kitchen was empty save for the annoying parrot that ruffled its feathers and uttered a few croaking sounds upon her entering, not thinking her worthy of words.

Rolling her eyes, Hitomi headed further down the hall and turned when she heard Merle's clear laughter. She followed the sound and stopped in front of a cabin, listening to the voices that drifted through the wood. One was distinctly Merle's and the other was low and husky and distinctly male.

She knocked. Hushed voices. Another knock. More laughter. Knitted brows. Anger.

"Alright, come in."

She wasn't able too completely wipe the anger off her face when she opened the door and took one step into the room. It was dimly lit by the daylight coming through one tiny window and by the orange light of a lamp that dangled from the ceiling, lurching softly from side to side with the movements of the ship.

Merle stood in the middle of the room, wearing a dress she had obviously ripped so that it only reached to barely touch her knees and looking absolutely breath-taking. Her tan legs were going on forever and in the stained mirror behind her Hitomi could see that strings were interlacing at the back, exposing her shoulder blades and a good portion of her back.

Even when standing there with one hand on her hip Merle radiated an intimidating air of feline grace and Hitomi felt jealousy surging through her body.

She knew she had been staring and Merle knew it was jealousy in her eyes with which Hitomi regarded her, if the haughty tug at the corners of her lips was any indication. With a slight blush of humiliation across the bridge of her nose Hitomi turned to face Van who lay sprawled in a hammock, arms linked behind his head and his eyebrows raised in slight surprise.

"Yes?" he drawled lazily and Hitomi intensified her glare.

"I was wondering if you were still up for that offer." She wasn't going to explain herself and simply expected him to know what she was talking about. She had come to seek him out but she would do it standing up straight. She was not going to beg on her knees.

She stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest, purposely ignoring Merle's eyes that were burning holes into her clothes.

Van's eyes widened briefly and there was the shadow of a grin lurking around the corners of his lips. It just barely flickered, the look Hitomi was giving him daring him to speak the words. He bit his lip. "Now?"

"I'm free and I'm bored. Now."

"I guess then it's now." He swiftly hopped out of the hammock and directed a disarming smile at Merle. "Sorry Merle, I'll drop by later so you can show me the other dresses."

Hitomi felt the familiar warmth of satisfaction pool in her stomach when she noticed the mixture of confusion and disappointment on Merle's face. Her eyes fell on the pile of clothes behind the cat-woman and she sneered. "Weren't you supposed to sell those?"

Merle's eyes narrowed and her tail twitched like a whip. "No, they're mine. I earned them. You know, some of us actually have to work for the clothes they wear."

Merle's words stung and Hitomi felt low. She averted her eyes and expected Merle to lash out again but Van stepped between them, holding Merle by the shoulders. He spoke to her quietly and she replied just as quietly but with a lot more vehemence, her tail twitched from side to side. The air was tense and awkward and Hitomi started when Van suddenly burst out laughing. The sound was deep and full, yet gentle. And genuine.

He turned away from Merle, still laughing, and Hitomi caught a glimpse of the laughter that had spread across his features, leaving his eyes dancing in its wake.

"Alright, see you later, Merle."

They left the room and when he closed the door behind them, all traces of that smile were gone from his features. "Merle is very protective of her belongings."

Hitomi looked away and tried to hide the shame in her voice. She was embarrassed. "I noticed."

Van wasn't aware of her troubled state of mind or pretended not to notice. Either way she was glad. "I think we should go to the storage room again. There is a too big audience up there on deck."

Hitomi didn't reply, knowing that whatever she would have to say would not matter at all. They were silent on the way further under deck and Hitomi quickly slipped in her room to retrieve the sword she had _borrowed_ from Allen. Van merely raised a brow and she shrugged. What did he care?

The storage room was quiet and dusty and she walked until she reached the place where a lone sunbeam hit the floor boards. She stopped and turned, the sword resting at her side.

Van remained in the shadows and watched her like a lion ready to pounce on his prey. His outlines blended with the background. "So, what's it gonna be? Spar first or questions first?"

"Spar first." She bit her lip for letting the words slip out too eagerly.

With a faint nod Van slowly unsheathed his sword and the blade sparkled in the twilight. "Okay. Lesson one: Never just carry a sword. Hold it as if you have to use it at any time. Be aware of it."

She willed her heartbeat to slow down. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword and her brows knitted. That arrogant prick. She clutched the sword with both hands in front of her and watched when he bent his knees, bent his elbows and held up the sword so that the hilt was level with his head.

The air in the room was thick with warmth and anticipation. "Ready?"

Instead of answering she chose to attack. There was the high faint whistle when her sword cut through the air and sparks exploded where metal collided with metal. Immediately, she withdrew and swung the blade in a graceful arch above her head. Van nimbly shifted his weight on his other foot and parried her attack.

The noise of their swords colliding filled the room and Van parried every one of her attacks. When she hesitated for a moment to decide what to do, he lunged at her so suddenly Hitomi couldn't help but gasp and close her eyes when she raised her sword. The blades clashed together and she took a step backwards with the force. Van struck out again, quickly, and she couldn't do anything but parry and dodge. He was chasing her across the room and she blocked his attacks with an agility that was beyond reflexes. It was as if she knew his next move.

Van withdrew and Hitomi's shoulders slumped, the tip of the sword touching the floor. Her chest was rising quickly with every breath she took and she felt her damp clothes sticking tightly to her skin.

"Not bad." Van wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He wanted to say something else, she could see it in his eyes. When he spoke she knew it was not what he had meant to say. "Be careful with your feet. Stance is important for balance and agility."

Hitomi's eyes darkened and she swallowed a spiteful remark. She had asked him to teach her and now she had to deal with someone her age criticizing her technique. She managed a curt nod.

"You're very fast when it comes to defence but your offence is lacking power." He circled her and his eyes danced through the shadows like little flames. "You're not aggressive enough. You have to mean it. Try again."

Van slightly tipped his sword, indicating that he was ready for her to attack. She took a deep breath and concentrated on the position of her feet and her posture, trying not to give away her next move. She had noticed how his eyes stayed on her shoulders and watched her intently, trying to detect what she would do.

She thrust at him and the impact was harder than before, making her arms vibrate with pain. Gritting her teeth, she lunged at him again and her anger was only fuelled when he swiftly blocked it. She came to a sudden halt when the edge of his blade pointed at her exposed neck. She felt the cool metal barely graze her skin.

"You don't mean it," Van said close to her face and retracted his sword. "This is not a game, mylady. It's you or your opponent."

Summoning all the strength she possessed, she thrust forward again and hit metal. Blood roared in her ears and almost drowned the sound of her heavy breathing hard. Her arms shook with pain when she pressed against his sword. His eyes were dark behind sweaty strands of hair and she could have sworn they crinkled at the corners.

"Mean it!" he yelled and shoved her away. Hitomi stumbled and was hardly able to regain her balance. Staggering slightly and panting heavily, she bent over to catch her breath.

"Right now, I really mean to hurt you!" she yelled with the little air she had left in her lungs. Sweat mixed with dirt on her skin and burned in her eyes.

He took position again. Hitomi was sure that there was anger in his voice when he spoke although he had no reason to be angry. "Good!"

"Goddamnit!" She lifted her sword and knew she had lost. She could barely feel her arms and his counterattack would be too much for her to take.

Sparks flew again and her blade slid along his sword when he dipped it. The force of his thrust sent her stumbling to the ground and all the air left her lungs. She didn't bother standing up, her breathing quick and her heartbeat frantic.

She felt him hovering over her and heard him breathe. At least he seemed slightly exhausted. "I'd say it's enough for one lesson."

"I hate you," Hitomi told the dirty floor boards and brushed wet strands of hair out of her forehead.

"You're welcome." He sat down on a box quite a distance away from her and waved a dismissive hand at her when she looked up to glare at him in return. "Your turn now."

She let out a long breath and let herself fall back against the wooden floor. Dust curled into the air around her and she stretched her legs, her pants scraping over the ground. She waited until her breathing had slowed again.

"Vargas arrived in the port of Joya Verde five years ago and stayed with us for more than half a year. I don't know where he came from or even the name of the ship that brought him. He just appeared that one day for dinner." Hitomi stretched out her arms at her sides and stared at the ceiling. "My father introduced him to me, told me he would be our guest for a little while. My father is very hospitable. We've had the strangest people stay at our house."

The wood creaked in the silence. "What did he...what did Vargas do?"

Hitomi furrowed her brows and tried to recall the image of Vargas. "I think he was resting. He seemed so very tired that first evening I saw him, and sad. He said he was searching for someone, had been searching for a long time. During his stay he taught me a few things about swordsmanship. He was an extraordinary swordsman."

This time there was less hesitation before he spoke quietly. "What's he look like?"

"Tall, very tall. Broad. Intimidating. He had a bunch of scars, a big one directly across his left eye." Hitomi turned her head slightly to look at Van and found him staring at the floor. His hands rested on the hilt of his sword in front of him. "Do you remember him?"

Wood creaked. Then, a slight shake of the head.

This time she was the one hesitating, not knowing how far she could go with questioning him. "Do you remember anything at all?"

His burgundy eyes flickered up to look at her and the distrust was plainly visible, not knowing how much he could tell her without saying too much. Then, a slight shrug of the shoulders. "Some things. Voices and emotions, no faces though."

Hitomi averted her eyes and returned to look up at the ceiling. "That song you played on the flute the other night. I said I didn't know it. Now I remember that indeed I do know it. Vargas had been whistling that very same melody a few times, or hummed it when he thought he was alone. And..."

She trailed off and rose from the floor with one swift motion. Her shoes clicked over the boards when she approached Van and his eyes widened when she reached for his sword. The action startled him so much that he lost his balance and toppled off the box.

There was a scratching noise when Hitomi drew Van's sword out of the blue sheath only so much that the crest showed. With his back pressed against the box he stared at her when she held it in front of his face. She was so close that he could see the dust that was caught between her lashes.

"He was wearing this one on his armor," she said and pointed at the red and yellow crest.

She held it so close that he could see the dragon curling in the center of the golden rhomb. His eyes flickered from the dragon up to her green eyes. "Do you know what it means? Did he mention anything?"

He wasn't able to rein the excitement in his voice and she almost felt sorry for him because she couldn't give him what he needed to hear. "No. It looks like a crest of some sort but I've never seen it before. Though, I have to admit, history isn't exactly a strength of mine."

And then she smiled. By seeing the vulnerability that he wasn't able to hide, that was so clearly displayed in eyes, she knew she could pay him back. Right here. Right now.

"Don't just carry your sword. Be aware of it." And with that she shoved the sword at him and rose. She walked out of the storage room, leaving him backed against the box and breathing fast.

* * *

His dreams had changed, had intensified. It was nothing real, simply perception based on memory. Fields and sunshine. Yellow everywhere around him. Beneath his feet. Above in the sky. Ripe ears pricking his palms. The dry scent of summer filling his nostrils. The dusty taste of wheat on his lips. He could almost feel the warmth.

The air vibrated with heat and the wind rippled endless fields like the sea. A tall figure stood within the golden ocean, his silhouette like a black papercut. Vargas.

Van had known what he looked like before Hitomi described him when they were in the storage room. Van had seen him in his dreams before, had seen the crest on his armor. He had just needed to know for sure.

The noise of heavy footsteps suddenly close behind him. He turned, the wind caught in his hair. Nothing.

Voices coming from nowhere. Voices inside his head.

He was distracted. A soft, warm touch. Merle clung to his arm and looked up at him. "Van..."

He opened his mouth but no words came out. He choked on words unspoken.

"Van!"

He jolted awake with a muffled scream and fell out of the hammock he had been dozing in. A sharp pain shot from his elbow to his shoulder. The floor was harder than usual beneath him and he groaned.

"Van, you okay?" Merle kneeled down beside him and when he looked up at her through the fog in his head he found a grin that betrayed the worry in her voice.

"I'm okay." He sat up and rubbed his arm. The fields and Vargas were gone and it took him a moment to realize that the noise of footsteps and muffled voices remained. His head snapped up. "What's going on?"

Merle sat down and waved a hand. "They spotted a trading ship and Allen ordered pursuit. We don't need anything but he wants to pillage anyway because he cannot say when we'll have our next opportunity."

Van scrambled to his feet and dashed to the door with a grin on his face. He stopped and turned in the doorframe. "You're staying here."

It wasn't a question but a statement and Merle crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her glare was made of ice. "Aye aye."

Everybody was on his feet. Van met a few crew members when he was running down the narrow hallway under deck. His boots left a loud noise in their wake and he could feel the boards bend slightly under his weight. Commands were yelled across the deck when he finally reached it and he immediately took his position beside Reeden. The thick rope was wet with spray when he grabbed it and it almost slid through his hands. They were hauling one of the main sails.

"You're late!" Reeden yelled over his shoulder and over the noise of the waves that were crashing against the hull of the ship.

"I'm here now!" Van yelled back and stemmed his feet against the floor boards, trying to haul the rope in sync with the other crew members. It was a tug-of-war with the wind and he the rope burned his skin through his gloves.

Spray cooled his heated skin and once the sails were aligned to the wind, the _Black Lady_ picked up even more speed. They were catching up fast, already riding the wake of the other ship.

"Grapnels ready!" The familiar command echoed out across the deck and it was only a matter of seconds until they were boarding.

The sea seemed to boil between the ships when the _Black Lady_ rammed the trading ship, spray splashing angrily. The hulls creaked, ropes whirred through the air and the metal fingers of the grapnels bore into the wood. In a tumult of bodies, yells and blades Van fought his way across the deck of the other ship. The familiar feeling of battle gripped his body, adrenaline pumping through his veins and his muscles tensing. His surroundings blurred and his senses seemed to be honed by the mere expectation of a fight.

He saw a blade sparkle out of the corner of his eyes and he quickly raised his sword to parry the blow. His opponent's arms were shaking so much that he could feel the vibrations through the swords. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips and he shoved the other man hard before sending him into oblivion with the hilt of his sword.

Sometimes it was too easy. The crew members of trading ships were usually hardly able to fight because they had either never properly learned how to or were scared boneless. There was no challenge. There was no fun.

He ducked when dust and splinters suddenly burst into the air to his right where a cannon ball had hit the ship.

Almost lazily, he tripped a crew and knocked the sword out of his hands. The young man gasped and stumbled when he turned and spotted Van. He quickly tried to reach for his weapon that had slid across the deck.

Van raised his sword above his head and was just about to thrust when something clasped around his wrist like a vice, holding his arm in place. He yelped in pain and tried to wind out of the tight grip of Dryden's hand. The pain intensified and he let his arm sink slightly, glaring up at Dryden.

"Enough," Dryden hissed quietly, holding his stare. "It was Allen's order."

Van blinked and looked around. The dust was still settling but the fighting had stopped. He hadn't noticed. When his shoulders relaxed slightly, Dryden loosened the grip on his wrist.

"Don't let yourself be carried away by fighting." His eyes never left Van's face and almost carelessly he pointed the tip of his own sword at the young man who was still on the floor.

Van's eyes narrowed at the patronizing tone of Dryden's voice and he snarled. "You've got no right to give me any orders, you're not my captain."

Dryden was about to counter with harsh words when his eyes fell on Van's sword. It was unsettling to watch the expression on his features change from confusion to surprise to shock to anger all within a few seconds.

"Where did you get that sword?" he asked in a low, urgent whisper and held the fist that was still gripping Van's wrist up into his face.

Van gritted his teeth. "It's mine."

Dryden rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know you got it by the legal means of a pirate but _where_ did you get it?"

"As I said, it's mine. I didn't get it anywhere." Van finally wrenched his wrist out of the tight grip it had been in and took a step backwards, rolling his shoulder. His anger made the air around him vibrate.

"You must've gotten it somewhere." Dryden's voice was impatient and his eyes were boring into Van's.

"No, I've always had it. And even if I didn't, it wouldn't be any of your business."

Dryden's eyes narrowed and Van could feel that he wanted to say something else. It took him a lot of willpower to keep his mouth shut, if the balled fists at his sides were any indication. But Dryden chose to swallow the words and turned on his heels with a sour expression on his face.

The crew was busy emptying the storage room of the trading ship and Dryden spotted Allen talking to Gaddes, laughing loudly. Dryden growled and grabbed a rope to get back on deck of the _Black Lady._ He would have a little talk with the blonde captain when he was done pillaging.

When he stalked across the deck, his sole intention was to get to Allen's cabin to nurse his anger. It should be worth it when he finally had the talk with Allen. That bastard deserved it.

Lost in his thoughts and muttering to himself, Dryden didn't notice when Millerna stepped into his way until he almost bumped into her. Her lilac eyes were blazing and her skin was glowing with suppressed anger when he looked down at her.

It hadn't been supposed to happen that way. He hadn't wanted her to find out that way. She deserved answers and she deserved his full attention but at the moment he couldn't give it to her.

"Not now," he said gruffly and was about to brush past her when she suddenly grabbed his arm, her nails digging into his skin.

"Don't not now me, Dryden," she growled and tightened her hands around his arm. "You've been avoiding me for days. I deserve some answers."

He sighed and turned to face her. "I know, Millerna, but believe me now is not the right time. I know you're angry —-"

"Yes, I'm angry because you so blatantly lied to me," she interrupted him vehemently.

"Whatever I told you was always as close to the truth as possible."

Millerna stared at him, contemplating another outburst. She knew that it wouldn't impress Dryden. He had never bothered with her temper. "You could've told me, I would've understood."

Her voice was quiet and there was so much hurt and sincerity in it that Dryden wished he hadn't heard it. He knew she meant it, even what she didn't say. And he knew she was right. He had hurt her, he had underestimated her sensitivity. Beneath the feisty exterior she was vulnerable. He had made a mistake and he was not yet ready to admit it.

Millerna bit her lip hard to distract herself from the burning sensation at the back of her eyes. "Why did you suddenly turn into such a jerk?"

"I'm sorry," he said quietly but Millerna had already left. The only reply was the lone cry of a seagull.

Dryden removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He knew he had brought all this upon himself, there was nobody else he could blame. It had been his decision to keep the truth from Millerna. It had been his decision to accompany Allen on this suicide mission. Now he had to deal with it. He could just imagine his father saying "I told you so".

Allen's cabin smelled of old paper and lamp oil and Dryden remembered the scent from when they were younger. The cabin used to smell just like that and Dryden knew Allen resented that he couldn't make his father's ghost leave the ship completely. And yet he was following in his father's very footsteps although he had sworn at his mother's grave to not make the same mistake. Dryden wondered what had changed Allen's mind.

He was sprawled in a chair with his feet on the table, maps buried underneath his boots when Allen entered his cabin. He fixed his friend over the rim of his glasses.

"That expression of yours is telling me I'm up for a whipping." And he had the impudence to grin toothily.

Dryden didn't move, his hands folded on his stomach. "Like hell you are. Allen, mind telling me why that hot-headed kid is in possession of the royal sword of Fanelia?"

Allen held Dryden's stare. Of course he would find out eventually although Allen had thought Dryden would be a little faster on the uptake. He averted his eyes and waved a hand dismissively. "He doesn't know what it means, so it's not a problem."

"So, you do know about it." Dryden's voice was calm but he was boiling inside with anger. And frustration. Of course Allen knew about it and it was just like him to keep it to himself. "You saw the crest."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Allen's lip but he quickly turned away to hide it. He strode to a chest of drawers to the side of his cabin and opened the top drawer. After briefly rummaging through it he found his small, leather-bound book. "Of course, I'm not an idiot."

Dryden removed his feet from the table and leaned forward to rest his elbows on it. His eyes were hard. He hated it when Allen played with him like that, hated to beg for every single bit of information. "Then you must know where he got it, he wouldn't tell me, said he's always had it."

"He didn't lie." He reached for a quill and calmly opened the book, not wasting a glance at Dryden. "Van is a little too honest for a pirate, I blame his royal heritage."

"What?!" Dryden exploded and slammed his hands flat on the table. "But – but that's impossible! The royal family of Fanelia died when their ship sank 16 years ago! Everybody knows that!"

Allen lifted his head and gave Dryden a look as dry as desert air. "Well, obviously the prince survived. He's pretty alive if you ask me."

"Are you telling me the crown prince of Fanelia is on board this bloody ship?" Allen was enjoying this a little too much for Dryden's taste.

"No, he's actually king since his parents died and all." The blond captain narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to a hiss. "And why don't you say it a little louder, I don't think they could hear you at the South Pole!"

Dryden was still processing what he had just heard. He had thought Allen capable of a lot of things. "Are you insane?"

Allen waved his little book, a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. "Up to your little outburst here nobody but me, Gaddes and a few other perceptive members of my crew know about it and I wish to keep it that way."

"What about him?"

There was a moment of silence and laughter filtered through the wood from outside. "He doesn't know and I don't see any need in telling him and burdening him. He probably lost his memory when that ship sank, must've been 7 or 8 years old, doesn't know who he is. He was probably twelve when I picked him up, didn't know a thing and I saved the poor soul."

"You have had the Fanelian prince...king on your ship for more than a decade." Dryden had cupped his nose and mouth with his hands and was speaking slowly as if talking to a child. "You could've returned him."

"Dryden, you should know I don't care about politics." There was disappointment in his voice that he couldn't quite hide like something he had stolen and wanted to hide behind his back but was too big so it showed above his shoulders. "There are two basic principles I live on. One, I'm loyal to no-one but myself and two, the sea belongs to nobody. I've been doing pretty well so far and I wish to keep it that way."

"Don't you think he deserves to know who he is?"

Allen sighed and finally put his book away. "I think there's a reason why he doesn't know and he'll be grateful that I spared him the burden of ruling a country when he was a kid. He will thank me for giving him a carefree childhood."

"Carefree childhood," he snorted and Allen narrowed his eyes. Tension hung in the air like thick morning mist. "I wouldn't consider pillage and plunder a carefree childhood when you have to worry about getting caught and being hung for all the laws you broke."

"Dryden, you of all people, have no right to judge this way of life." His voice was the hiss of a viper that had been stepped on. "Just because you chose to live an _honest_ life you don't get to play high and mighty with me. And by the way, I wouldn't consider lying to my fiancé an honest life."

"Allen, be careful." Dryden's intonation hadn't changed at all but anger rang with his words like distant thunder.

"Oh yes, I see, I got you cornered and now you're getting aggressive."

Dryden reached for one of the daggers that lay on the table and twisted it between his fingers to give his hands an occupation. He didn't want Allen to see them shake. "It was not his decision."

Allen smiled a smile that did not reach his eyes. "It was not her decision either, Dryden. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

There was a hollow thud when Dryden rammed the dagger into the wood of the table. He did not meet Allen's eyes. He could not.

"I think this conversation isn't getting us anywhere but closer to ripping each other's head off," Allen said after letting the silence feed on Dryden's anger and his voice was definite. "I'd say we call it a day. You may leave."

The legs of the chair scratched across the floor when Dryden stood. He used the last bit of dignity he had left to stop himself from slamming the door shut behind him. This time the smile reached Allen's eyes and bathed in their blue.

* * *


	8. Sacrifices

Chapter 8 – Sacrifices

* * *

She was going to gut him. She would wipe that cocky grin off his face once and for all even if she had to knock out his teeth. He deserved it.

Hitomi was bent over her sword and tried desperately to catch her breath. He stood in front of her with his sword resting on his shoulder and she watched him from behind the sweaty bangs that hung into her vision. They had been sparing and while her lungs pricked with every heavy breath she took, he didn't even have the decency to look at least slightly out of breath. He was all straight posture and haughty air. He so deserved to get his ass kicked.

"If it makes you feel better I can tell you that I can see an improvement." She snorted at his comment and straightened, ignoring the twinge that dug deeply into her right side. "You pay more attention to your feet. Have you been practicing since last time?"

She watched him intently, trying to find any sign in his eyes that he was making fun of her. However, this time Van seemed sincere and she gave the slightest nod.

"Good." He averted his eyes and dragged his sword through the dirt on the floor. "Did Vargas ever mention anything about where he came from?"

It seemed as if there could never be a complete silence on board for there was always the groaning wood of the hull, creaking boards, the shuffling of boots across the deck above their heads. Hitomi let out a long breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead that had started running into her eyes.

She would never tell him but she felt for him. It was beyond her control because his misfortune was something she wouldn't even wish upon her enemies. She wondered if she didn't know, if she suddenly forgot her past, would she be a different person? Would he be a different person if he knew?

It did not mean it was an excuse for his rudeness though.

She shook her head no in answer to his question. "No, never. It was almost as if he was avoiding the subject on purpose. Do you remember him?"

Van looked up at her and there was suspicion lurking in the dark depths of his eyes as if he couldn't quite understand her curiosity and was mildly frustrated about it. "I think I know him. He's in my dreams but I don't know what role he plays."

She straightened slowly, resenting the fact that the heat was getting to her head. It was not as hot under deck but the air was still thick and heavy with warmth, making it hard to breathe.

She was curious. She knew she shouldn't be, she shouldn't care about a stray pirate, especially one that annoyed the crap out of her but she just couldn't help feeling that it wasn't fair. Even he deserved to know who he was. "What else do you dream about?"

The moment she asked the question she felt him draw back and she knew he regretted what he had said. He didn't move an inch but there were worlds between them.

"Just stuff that doesn't make sense." Something in his eyes had changed and she tried to find what it was until she realized that there was nothing in his eyes. With a shrug he took position and raised his sword to eye level. "Now, where did we stop?"

She allowed a grin to play about the corners of her lips and lifted her own sword. Her insides twisted in anticipation and she felt a new wave of adrenaline pump through her body. There was something else, something that settled warm and heavy inside her chest, persistent like the calm in the horse latitudes, but she ignored it, pushing it to the farthest corner of her mind, not deeming it important. It was a feeling she was not yet ready to admit, the fact that their little sparing sessions had even started to be fun and the fact that she had been looking forward to their meeting.

"I was about to royally kick your ass." She took a few steps toward him and raised her sword. Before she could even think about initiating an attack their swords had already clashed above her head.

Beyond their crossed blades she saw Van narrow his eyes at her. Their ruby color was intense, pulling her to him like invisible hands. He seemed to be searching for something and she expected him to speak up but instead he lunged at her again.

She wished she could say it was going back and forth between them but for her it was just going back. She almost stumbled over her own feet. His blows were fierce and she could feel frustration radiating off him in waves. There was no room for a counter-attack.

When she fell to the floor for the third time she took her time to get back on her feet, trying to catch her breath without looking as tired as she felt. She stared at the floor and forced herself to breathe slowly and to count to ten so not to just go over to him and rip his head off.

She had overestimated her own abilities. After their last few sparing rounds she had thought she could stand a chance against him but he had just proved her wrong. Her pride was more than a little hurt.

The hairs at the back of her neck suddenly stood and she felt something warm the skin between her breasts. Her hands involuntarily tightened around the hilt of her sword and she gasped when she felt her pendent swing in sync with her heartbeat. She saw the image of Van flash in front of her eyes, his sword held high and the air singing when he aimed at her.

Choking on a scream, she whirled around and felt her arms shake when her sword collided with his.

"Are you out of your mind?!" she yelled and scramble away from him. Her eyes were blazing. "_Why_ did you do that?"

"_How_ did you do that?" His voice matched hers in volume and anger and she saw no reason for him to feel that way. There was so much frustration. "How could you possibly know that I was going to attack from behind?"

Hitomi lowered her sword at her side and regarded him with a calculating glare. So he had noticed. He had merely been testing her.

"You still lack the aggressiveness but your reflexes are...they are...it doesn't make sense!" he continued without waiting for her reply and ran a hand through his hair, thoroughly frustrated. "You cannot attack properly even if your life depends on it but you dodge and parry like you _know _my next move."

The look in his auburn eyes told her that he was expecting an answer and she licked her lips nervously, tasting salt. She couldn't tell him, that was for sure, and she had to come up with _something_ quickly.

Van surprised her by offering an explanation himself. "Did Vargas teach you that? Did he mention where he learned to fight?"

Hitomi let out the breath she had been holding. If he thought her abilities were due to Vargas's training let him believe it. "No, he didn't talk a lot. He mostly made people talk about themselves." She watched the expression on his face change from anger to disappointment. "What are you dreaming about?"

His eyes darkened and his shoulders tensed, his stance defensive. She heard his walls slamming in place with thundering clarity. "That's none of your business."

"Maybe if you stopped being so stubborn and told me about your dreams, I'd remember something he said, something he did, anything that would help you!"

He made her so angry she wanted to jump at his throat and throttle him senseless. She saw his eyes flash and knew the feeling was mutual.

He expected her to provide him with information but refused to meet her halfway. He was impatient and selfish and she had had enough of him treating her like dirt beneath his shoes.

He seemed to only know extremes. Either he was as cold and expressionless as stone or he was entirely on fire. There was no in between. Either he was silent or he was shouting. Either he was numb or angry.

And the only things that seemed to evoke an emotion were swordfight and his non-existent past.

Van raised his sword again and his lips parted, eager to set free the words that were burning his tongue.

"Here you are."

Van and Hitomi whirled around only to find Merle leaning against one of the wooden beams that supported the ceiling. Her skin shimmered golden in the dim light of the room.

"What are you doing?" She was radiating suspicion and glared at Hitomi when she pushed past her to join Van's side.

Her yellow dress complimented her dark, tanned skin and accentuated the perfect curve where her waist dipped into her hip. Hitomi regarded her with the same condescension with which she regarded every other woman whose legs were better shaped and whose waist was slimmer than hers. She felt as if Merle had just taken the lead in a race of which she didn't know where it led.

Oblivious to the two women silently assessing each other, Van sheathed his sword. "We're sparing."

Merle's tail whipped across the floor and sent the dust swirling into the air. "Why do you teach _her_ how to fight and forbid me to do the same?"

Hitomi's eyes narrowed and her shoulders squared. Merle felt it more than she saw it and sent her a patronizing look. The air thickened between the cat-woman and Hitomi like evening fog and they failed to realize that they shared an equal jealousy.

"I'm not teaching her, Merle, she knows pretty well how to handle a sword." Van looked at Hitomi over Merle's shoulder in a way she could neither place nor read but she was far too distracted to give it further thought. Had he just complimented her? "I'm just showing her some tricks."

Turning her back on Van, Merle shot Hitomi a glare that could have made a field of flowers wither instantly. It was gone when she turned to face him again and looked up with wide blue eyes. "But..."

His clenched jaw relaxed. "I'm here to protect you, you just stay hidden."

She had been wrong. There was something else that evoked an entirely different emotion. She realized that Merle was his in between, his equilibrium.

His voice was soft, every trace of anger gone. It was so different from his sharp commands and biting criticism and affected his whole face, smoothing his knitted brows and softening his eyes. The cat-woman seemed to have a calming effect on him, like a cool hand on a wound.

A strong emotion raged through her that left her gasping. She knew what it was, had felt it numerous times before, numerous reasonable times. She didn't know why she felt it now. She didn't want to know.

"Merle, you don't need to fight."

"But why?" The cat-girl tugged at his arm and pouted in a way that would have men throw themselves at her feet but the effect, as Hitomi noticed with slight satisfaction, was completely lost upon Van.

He stroked her hair affectionately. "Because I don't want you to fight."

Merle was about to protest again when the ship vibrated with a shout and the noise of boots stomping heavily across the deck. There was a flicker of surprise on Van's features and without wasting any more time he ran from the room, Merle and Hitomi hot on his heels.

Van burst through the door and stumbled onto the deck when the sunlight blinded him painfully. Shielding his eyes, he scanned the bustle on deck and found Gaddes among the roaring crowd. Van grabbed him by his arm. "What is going on?"

"We reached our destination." The expression on Gaddes's face was not as euphoric as the one of the other crew members that were rushing toward the bow of the ship.

Van seemed to notice it as well. He nodded curtly at Gaddes and followed him to where Allen was standing, Merle still clinging to his arm. Hitomi followed them with her eyes but then chose to look for a familiar blonde head. Noticing with slight exasperation that it was still unbearably hot outside, she ambled across the deck to join Millerna.

"Just for your information, I'm mad at you," the princess said neutrally without looking at Hitomi.

Hitomi narrowed her eyes and wiped her forehead. Three minutes out on deck and she was sweating like she usually did after a thirty minutes sparing with Van. She was definitely not made for this weather. "Please, deign me the answer of what I did wrong this time, Your Highness."

"You chose that boy-toy of yours over me. I'm deeply hurt." Millerna's expression was stony when she turned to face her friend but her eyes belied the grave tone of her voice. They sparkled mischievously. "Was it worth it, at least?"

Hitomi's lips twitched. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

Millerna tilted her head to the side and looked at her friend. Her expression was one of curiosity and slight disbelief and Hitomi did not like that mixture because she already knew she wouldn't like where this was going. She knew Millerna well enough. "Don't tell me your mind isn't in the gutter when you look at him."

"That's shallow." The reply was a little too quick but it was already too late when she noticed. The quirk of Millerna's eyebrow was the indication that it did not escape her at all.

Millerna always noticed when Hitomi said something in order to cover up her thoughts. She always noticed when Hitomi's silence said more than her words ever could. It was one reason why Hitomi had not exactly been fond of the princess when they first met. It was because of her too intense stares, because of the way she felt when Millerna looked at her, looked at her as if she was seeing right through her, right past her lies and false smiles.

She hadn't wanted Millerna to see her because she hadn't liked that part of herself she was hiding.

"You didn't answer my question."

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "As far as I remember it wasn't a question."

A reply wasn't necessary. And they both knew it. Millerna turned to look out at the sea and the smile that lifted the corners of her lips was enough to tell Hitomi she would not be left alone until she answered the question that had not been asked.

With a sigh of defeat she scanned the crowd of pirates that had gathered at the bow of the ship, watching the horizon. She found Van standing to the side, resting his lean hip against a box. He was the only one who was not looking out at the sea. He seemed lost in his own world and the voices and shouts that were being tossed across the deck did not reach him in that place.

"It doesn't hurt to look at him," Hitomi admitted and she was pretty sure he wasn't even aware of it.

He didn't radiate that blatant air of confidence Allen and Commodore Shephard carried. They knew why women fell at their feet. Van, however, didn't know. Or he didn't care. His confidence toward her was different. He knew he stood head and shoulders above her and knew he didn't need to prove it. It was aggravating but it was welcome for a change.

"But he's got an awful personality."

Millerna looked at her with interest and then lifted her gaze to where Van stood. "And here I thought you'd learned not to judge."

Hitomi elbowed her friend in the side. She knew Millerna was referring to the first time they had met and the second and the third time, all occasions in which Hitomi had not tried the slightest bit to hide her obvious dislike toward Millerna.

She had judged the princess too early, she knew that now. Despite her efforts, Millerna had still managed to see that part of her and Hitomi had learned to accept it. It did not mean she liked it though.

"Look at his face when he talks with his little groupie." Millerna's voice was soft, almost drowned by the noise of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship. "She means the world to him."

She looked at Van again. His face was unguarded when he talked with Merle and she knew he meant his smiles. "I've noticed and I'm pretty sure Merle hates me."

Millerna waved a hand dismissively. "A simple defence mechanism. She just sees you as competition."

"There's nothing to compete about. Stop teasing me, Millerna." Hitomi turned and fixed Millerna with hard eyes. "You're just jealous that my victim agreed to save me from further boredom and yours didn't."

"Rub it in, why don't you." Her tone was playful but Hitomi saw the hurt etched into her smile.

"You haven't talked."

"Well, I talked but Dryden didn't feel the need to take part in the conversation. He's too busy with his little treasure hunt at the moment." She was bitter, it was there in her words, in her eyes, in her rigid posture and clenched fists. She had come all this way, she had left behind her country and her responsibilities, had given up her life for him and he did not appreciate it.

She rested her chin in her open palm. "I'm quite curious what Mr Smarty-Pants is going to do now."

Hitomi turned to where Millerna had nodded her head and had to shield her eyes with her hand to spot the grey islands that rose out of the waters in the distance. They hid in the clouds that were lazily stretched out across the horizon.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Schezar said that he wished to get the missing piece of his stupid map from another pirate who is obviously on one of these islands there. I bet my entire wardrobe that he doesn't have the slightest clue which island it is."

Standing at the bow of the ship with a telescope pressed against his right eye, Allen Schezar sighed. He didn't have the slightest clue which island it was.

"Well, Cap'n?" Gaddes asked.

Allen handed the telescope to Dryden and took off his hat to scratch his head. His hair was clotty with salt. "I have to admit this is a little unexpected."

Beside him Dryden shifted. "Do we know which one it is?"

The voices on deck hushed like a wind that died down and Allen knew that his crew was waiting for a reply. He would tell them the truth, no doubt about it. He had learned from his father that being honest with your crew could save your life one day. "No. Anne's coordinates are quite precise but..."

"Naw, piece of cake! You're a navigation genius, Allen," Dryden exclaimed with a triumphant grin and smacked Allen's arm with the telescope. "And you only stole the best equipment you could get your greedy fingers on. How exact do you think you can locate our position?"

Allen took the telescope from Dryden and glared at him. "I might be a little gifted, Dryden, but I'm still bound to the limits of my sextant. However, the weather conditions are excellent so I should be able to have an accuracy of measurement of a little under a nautical mile."

Gaddes wiped the sweat off his forehead. "That's still a lot of islands."

"Twenty-five islands to check is still better than 300." Allen turned to face most of his crew. "I'll locate our position and we'll wait until dusk before we go and look for them."

* * *

"I can't believe I'm missing out on all the fun!" Hitomi whined and plopped down on a sack filled with flour. A cloud of white dust burst from a hole at the bottom of the sack.

"I can't believe that little cretin actually locked me in here!" Millerna muttered and paced the storage room.

Merle leaned against a wooden beam that supported the ceiling, her eyes closed and her tail whipping across the floor. "Would you stop complaining for just a minute? You're giving me a head-ache."

Hitomi lifted her head to glare at the cat girl. After the sun had set they had made sail to head for the place Allen had located. They were circling more than fifteen islands until they heard the hushed voice of Reeden calling from the crow's nest that he had spotted a ship. Arrangements were made and Allen and Dryden set out in boats together with most of the crew. It was decided unanimously that the women were to be locked in the storage room for their own safety.

That's where they had been sulking for the past hour.

"Just because you're used to being locked in the storage doesn't mean we have to accept our fate without a fight." Hitomi leaned her back against the wall and when Merle opened her eyes to look at her, Hitomi was surprised to find them angrier than she had expected.

The cat woman pushed herself off of the beam with feline grace. Her movements were lithe but Hitomi knew that underneath her tanned skin the muscles were tense, coiled in anticipation for the attack. "Do you think I like staying down here, doing nothing while my family is risking their life every time they board another ship?" Her lips curled in a sneer, showing a pointy canine. "Oh no, you did not consider that because you only think of yourself. You're just a selfish little brat! Both of you are!"

Hitomi jumped off the sack in a whirl of flour. "That is not true!"

"Is it not?" Merle's voice was dangerously low. The pupils of her eyes were narrowed to thin, black slits, almost indiscernible, so that everything Hitomi saw were her blue irises, a storm-lashed sea. "Name one time you have not been selfish since you entered this ship."

"I cut your goddamn potatoes! I help Van remembering his past!" She heard herself yell and couldn't understand why Merle's words stirred the urge to justify herself. She shouldn't care.

"You cut the potatoes to get back in Allen's good books and you help Van because he teaches you to fight in return for it." She gave a hollow laugh. "Don't fool yourself. Even setting foot on this ship was an act of pure selfishness to satisfy that hunger for adventure. You didn't care at all about the fact that you endangered everybody on this ship with that action!"

Millerna's eyes flicked from Merle to Hitomi and the ghost of a smile touched the corners of her lips. She clapped her hands together in an exaggerated gesture and beamed falsely. "Uh, this is going to be fun. Let's all be honest with each other and spill our darkest thoughts."

"And you!" Merle directed her anger to the princess. She wasn't, however, pointing with her finger and Millerna had to give her credit for that. She hadn't expected the cat girl to have manners. "You had to stay as well, didn't you? Threatening your boyfriend with tattling everything to daddy."

"Feeling better now that you let it all out?" Millerna asked calmly and cocked an eyebrow at Merle who was panting. "You were biting back those words for a long time, weren't you?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't care about your condescension. Condescend all you want, your highness, if it makes you feel any better about your miserably life that you're living miserably locked away in that miserable palace of yours."

Hitomi snapped. "Guard your – "

"No, Hitomi, leave her alone," Millerna interrupted her softly, her eyes never leaving Merle's form. "If she has to say something let her say it. If it's the truth it's all the better."

"What?" She couldn't believe Millerna was giving up without a fight. Hitomi had never seen her back down from an argument before. But she had also never seen her being addressed like that before. Something inside her flared that made her want to protect her friend. "You can't possibly be serious? You let her get away with what she said about you?"

"I don't deny it." Millerna shrugged and her blonde curls bounced on her shoulders. Even in this dirty room, covered in dust, smeared with dirt and sporting broken finger nails she looked everything the princess she was, her pride surrounding her like a halo. "I am not happy with my life in the palace, you and I both know it. I was hoping that Dryden would save me from my own personal hell but when he refused to do any of the such I made a selfish decision. I am a princess, I was raised to be selfish."

"But Millerna…"

"What?" Something cruel blazed in her eyes, something like impatience and frustration. And something she usually saw in people who were looking at Millerna – jealousy. "I can accept that but you obviously can't."

The words stung and she knew it showed on her face. She saw the reflection of her hurt in Millerna's eyes and she hated herself for being so weak. Her lips twisted when betrayal left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Oh, Hitomi, come on." The princess waved a hand dismissively as if stabbing a dagger in Hitomi's back was a mere nuisance to her. She didn't avert her eyes from Hitomi's accusing stare. "You can't seriously think yourself a victim. You left your father and the Commodore."

"Millerna?! I do not love that man!" Something had happened and Hitomi had missed it, something crucial. Something had happened to Millerna and she did not know what it was.

"I do not love my being heir to the throne. Life is unfair."

Merle had leaned back against the wooden beam with her slim arms crossed in front of her chest. It seemed as if the ground had suddenly opened and an abyss gaped between the two women. She realized this was no longer between herself and the two women and retreated, leaving the battlefield to them.

Hitomi stared. She was completely helpless because she didn't know what Millerna was doing. Was it the revenge for what she had said on deck earlier? She knew she had hurt her friend without meaning to but couldn't quite believe her reaction would be that brutal. "But I thought you were supporting me on that?"

They could hear the ship breathing in the silence. Millerna slowly turned and her expression was foreign to Hitomi. She did not feel like she knew that woman. "Yes, but I also think that you passed up a chance of a secure life and who knows, maybe even love, without giving it a chance."

"You gave up your title for Dryden!" The echo of her voice bounced off the walls. "How can you tell me to choose security over happiness?"

Millerna arched an eyebrow that displayed all the condescension and self-righteousness she was capable of. "I did and I stick to my actions and accept the consequences that follow. You do not. There is a big difference."

She didn't understand. She couldn't find a reason for why Millerna had turned into a feral and vindictive beast. All fight left her when her anger oozed out of her like blood through an open wound. She saw no reason to fight. She didn't want to fight.

"Why are you doing that, Millerna? Why do you suddenly take such pleasure in hurting me?"

Her eyes were sad when she turned to face Hitomi. "I felt like I owed you ---"

The rest of the sentence was drowned by Merle's forceful hiss. "Shut up you two!"

She pressed her ear against the wooden wall and Hitomi watched her tail whip from side to side before it stiffened. The hairs stood.

Hitomi glanced at Millerna who just shrugged. "Merle, what...?"

"Shh!" she hissed and pressed a finger against her mouth. Her blue eyes weren't angry though, but wary. "There's a noise. Someone is climbing up the hull of the ship."

"Are they coming back?" Millerna took a step ahead and Hitomi heard the hope in her voice, making it tremble. She was worried about Dryden, no matter how angry she was at him.

"No." Merle shook her head and her pink hair brushed across the boards. "No, whoever is coming on board right now is trying their hardest to make it quiet."

Hitomi watched the cat-girl when she crossed the room without making a sound. "What does that mean?"

"It means that whoever is coming on board does not want to be discovered for some reason." She reached for the knob and unlocked the door without looking back at them.

"You had the key the entire time?!" Millerna screeched and was on her feet immediately, scrambling after Hitomi. Merle was already across the threshold when Hitomi caught up with her.

"What are you going to do?"

Merle's eyes were hard when they looked at her but it was not the usual dislike or contempt Hitomi could see in their depths. There was something older, something of more importance. "I will not stand aside and watch. I'm going to defend my home."

She was about to close the door when a warm hand on her forearm held her. Anger boiled inside her and her head snapped around, teeth bared and words like acid burning on her tongue. The expression on Hitomi's face stopped her and when they looked at each other a mute understanding passed between them. An understanding that was beyond their mutual dislike, an understanding older than words.

Hitomi was too proud to offer help. Merle was too proud to accept it. "I'm coming with you."

Without so much as a nod of acknowledgement Merle turned and headed down the hallway.

"I'm coming too."

Hitomi turned to face Millerna. She had not forgotten about Millerna's words, about the look of disdain in her eyes. There was an army of questions waiting to be let loose. "No." Her voice was hard, betraying the turmoil of emotions that was raging within her. "You're staying here. Dryden will skin me alive when something happens to you. Stay."

Defiance blazed in Millerna's eyes as if on instinct. She had been denied too many things in her life.

Hitomi raised her hand to stop the protest. "This isn't about you, Millerna, so don't fight me."

With that she closed the door and locked it. Millerna's insults followed her when she hurried down the dark hallway to catch up with Merle.

"What are we going to do?"

"Have you got your sword?" Merle completely ignored the question and although she was speaking quietly her voice was strong.

"It's in my room." Hitomi stumbled after Merle, groping her way almost blindly along the wall. The lamps in the hallways under deck had been snuffed and she did not have Merle's feline night vision.

She bumped into Merle when the cat-woman suddenly stopped. "Then go get it."

"What?" Hitomi rubbed her nose and shook her head in the darkness. It was an overwhelming feeling and she was almost dizzy from trying to make out things ahead of her.

Hitomi could feel Merle's warmth in front of her. "I said go get your sword and meet me in Allen's cabin. Your room is the fourth door on the right. Hurry!"

Warm hands circled her shoulders and she was softly turned to the left and shoved down another hallway. She tripped and fell. Muttering under her breath, she got back up and her hands found the wall. The wood was rough underneath her fingertips and her breathing was like thunder in her ears. Her eyes were wide open and everything was black. It was disturbing.

She counted the doors she passed and slipped into her room when she reached it. She remembered where she had left her sword and strode quickly across the room. Pain shot up her leg when she bumped into a chair and she muffled her curse in her hands. She flung the chair aside and grabbed her sword.

By then faint silhouettes peeled out of the darkness and she headed for Allen's cabin, remembering the way from previous times she had walked it. Light spilled through the slit between the door and the floor. She knocked softly and Merle opened the door, revealing utter chaos behind her.

"What happened here?" Hitomi stepped into the dimply lit room and locked the door, taking in the maps and books that were strewn across the floor, clothes that lay scattered in between various weapons and measuring instruments.

"I did," Merle shrugged and sat down on the only chair that had not been thrown over.

"Why?"

"Those idiots left both parts of the map here. I can't believe that he took more than half the crew to get the third part but only left a bunch of blighters and us to guard this." She pointed at two ratty sheets of paper.

Hitomi peered at the maps. The paper was yellowed and torn at the edges and she could hardly make out the writing. "You think..."

She never came to finish the sentence because a scream tore the silence to shreds. Goosebumps crawled up her arms and she clutched the hilt of her sword tighter. The room seemed so much colder all of a sudden.

Merle jumped out of the chair and went to press her ear against the door. "I'm pretty sure that whoever is killing Allen's men up there is here for the map."

Hitomi's hands were cold and sweaty. She knew what this meant and she was completely calm. She had never fought a real fight before, a fight in which neither her pride nor honor were at stake but her life. The thought terrified and excited her and both feelings nullified each other.

She was completely numb inside.

Gripping the sword tightly, she reached past Merle and unlocked the door.

"What?! Are you nuts?" Merle sunk her claws in Hitomi's arm, her ears flat against her head. "You can't go! You can't even see!"

"I have to go." The door slid open without a sound and Hitomi took a lamp from the wall in Allen's room before she stepped into the beam of light that stretched across the floor in front of her. She lit the lamps closest to her. Beyond the light, the hallway lay in darkness. "Hide the map."

"But..." Merle sputtered, fighting an unwanted feeling of worry. The boards of the ship creaked when it moved softly with the waves. "I don't want to owe you!"

"You won't owe me. We'll be even." A smile parted her lips that startled Merle and she let go of Hitomi's arm.

The door closed and she reached out her hand to lock it. Turning, stared at the mess that was Allen's room. The two parts of the map lay on the table, cast in orange light. Merle stared at the lines that formed coasts, cliffs, bays. She followed the lines of underwater ridges, deep-sea trenches, ocean currents, memorizing the swirling contours of innumerable islands.

She exhaled deeply and looked up at one of the oil lamps whose flickering light cast moving shadows against the walls. Allen would fry her, she knew that much.

Her ears twitched at the sound of a muffled yelp, shortly followed by a thud. Her heart beat fast and hard against her ribcage and she quickly snuffed out all lamps but one. She carried the remaining lamp to the table and let oil slowly drop onto the map which immediately caught fire. Holding the burning paper above the table, she watched blue flames eating their way across filigree writing. The ashes fell down and the room was plunged in darkness with the last piece that was being consumed by the fire.

It was then that she heard footsteps approaching and the door burst open with the noise of splintering wood. She heard shallow breathing and smelt blood and madness. Her eyes narrowed at the outline of a tall figure looming in the doorway.

"Hello, kitty kitty."

* * *


	9. Gifts and Curses

Chapter 9 – Gifts and Curses

* * *

Dryden had always admired Allen for his common sense but within the last years the captain must have lost it somewhere along the way.

"This was a stupid idea," Dryden muttered and watched as two of Allen's men rowed the dinghy through the night.

Beside him Gaddes, Allen's second in command, chuckled. "Yeah well, it wouldn't be the captain's first stupid idea."

Four dinghies ploughed through the black water toward the entrance of the cave. The water splashed against the hull and when the paddles broke the surface of the sea but otherwise there was no noise.

They had left the women locked under deck and he hoped that they would stay there. He knew Millerna. He knew that she would get whatever she wanted. If she got into her head to disobey him, she would find ways. And the angrier she was, the more creative she could be.

"Stop sulking, old fool."

Allen's words swirled around his head like an annoying fly. He turned and glared at the captain through the darkness. His boat pulled up beside Dryden and he could discern seven men in it. One of them was the young king who sat at Allen's side. Dryden had passed him a few times on board the _Black Lady_ and he knew it would take him a while to get over Van's identity.

He was surprised nobody outside the crew had noticed. Maybe because Van wasn't exactly with people who cared. Maybe people had forgotten already. It had been so long, too long. People forgot so easily, so quickly. It had been almost twenty years since he had last seen the crest without blood smeared across it. The crest of Fanelia had been doomed to oblivion when the country had been made a province of Egzardia.

Sometimes it reared its head among those who refused to give up, rising out of a fire, a blockade, rising among demonstrators, rising among the dead, reminding people of what once was. Reminding those who believed that hope springs eternal.

The urge to tell Van was burning his tongue. Even as a pirate he had always prided himself for his sense of justice and the way he saw it, it would only be fair to tell Van about his heritage, about the burden he didn't know had been bestowed upon him, the hope he impersonated. But what difference would it make? Van would probably laugh in his face and call him a crazy bastard.

Dryden's eyes narrowed. Lately he seemed to agree less and less with Allen's way of handling things. There had been a time when there was a mutual understanding between them that did not need any words, when he had blindly trusted his best friend but those days were long gone.

"I do not think this is a very good idea." Dryden rested his forearms on his knees and stared out across the sea, tracing with his eyes the silhouette of the island to their right. It was barely visible.

"What? Getting the map?" Something fell into the water with a soft splash when Allen moved to lean over the brim of the boat. "I think it's a brilliant idea."

Dryden sighed and turned his head, trying to see Allen in the boat beside him. But even without seeing the expression on his face, Dryden was sure that there was no sarcasm. The captain meant what he said. "No, taking far more than three quarters of your crew with you."

Dryden wondered if Millerna had incited the change or if it had been inside him all this time. He looked at Allen's men rowing, looked at Gaddes bent over his sword. He realized he didn't miss it, didn't miss the old days. He didn't miss seeing nothing but water for weeks, didn't miss tasting salt all day, didn't miss the thrill of the hunt, didn't miss the hunger and the diseases.

He had joined this treasure hunt for other reasons. They both had other reasons than what could be seen on the surface. He knew Allen did it because of his own stubbornness, because of the conviction that his father had been wrong and Dryden knew that Allen did not know that. Allen thought he knew his reasons. He thought he was doing it to find what had meant more to his father than his own flesh and blood, more than life. But that was not it. He didn't care what it was, he wanted to prove his father wrong.

Dryden knew Allen's reason. Did Allen know Dryden's? He hoped Allen would because he couldn't explain to himself why he was doing that.

"I agree with him, Allen." Van's voice cut smoothly through the darkness. There was no hesitance when he criticized his captain. "It was a mistake to leave Merle and the two women with just three men to protect them."

"Oh, come on. It's almost as dark as in a whale's butt and they cannot possibly know we're out to get them." Allen sounded exasperated.

That much was true. The Mystic Moon was hidden behind the stony cliffs that surrounded them, plunging the water in almost complete darkness. There was no way they could be seen with human eyes, they hardly saw where they were even going.

"I still don't feel good about this," Van murmured and Dryden watched the sea curl like black ink around the paddles when they dipped into the water. "It's as if someone is watching us."

There was a muffled thud and Dryden assumed Allen had slapped Van on his back. He chuckled. "You didn't peg me as the paranoid type."

Van did not reply and just then Dryden realized that the silence had grown in volume. The faint noise of rowing and the squeaking of the paddle joints had stopped and they were gliding further ahead until the dark hull of a ship peeled out of the darkness in front of them. It was darker than a shadow and towered majestically above them, three masts reaching far into the night sky.

Allen exhaled loudly and rose to his feet, making the boat sway. He touched the wet hull of the ship with the palm of his hand. The wood was rough and slimy, covered with barnacles. "I can't believe it. After so many years."

"We can't be sure it's the _Oscuridad_." Dryden whispered, inspecting the ship. "I can't read the name from down here."

"I doesn't matter who they are." Allen's eyes narrowed and he sat back down. "Gaddes, you take Dryden and half of the men to search the ship. I'll take the other half to search the cave."

"Aye, Cap'n."

Dryden moved out of the way when Gaddes scrambled to the bow to inform the crew quietly. He almost yelped like a girl when a hand closed tightly around his shoulder.

"Be careful," Van hissed in his ear. "There is something off about this place."

Adjusting his glasses, Dryden turned and looked into Van's face. They stared at each other for a moment before Van finally pulled away and held onto the boat as they started to head to the cave.

He didn't know why he had warned Dryden. He didn't particularly like Allen's friend, didn't trust him. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have cared but this place made his skin crawl. He really hoped Dryden would listen to his warning, he really hoped Dryden had felt it as well.

Drawing a shuddering breath, he turned to look ahead and came face to face with Allen.

"Stop freaking out. I don't need that right now."

Van narrowed his eyes and clenched his hand around the hilt of his sword. He despised Allen doubting him. "I'm not freaking out."

The captain grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. "Then stop acting like it."

With a snarl Van twisted his arm out of Allen's grasp and stumbled to the stern. He knew something wasn't right. There was absolutely no sound, even the sea seemed quieter than usual. And every once in a while he felt as if eyes were burning into the back of his head, felt someone breathing on his skin that the hairs at the back of his neck stood. He felt the urge to turn around and stare at the darkness, trying to find who was watching them but knew there was nobody.

The remaining two boats cut quietly through the black water and were soon swallowed by the cave. The entrance was open like a mouth, with shard edges and ridges like teeth. It was completely dark once they had passed the opening. Lamps were pulled out of their hiding places and fastened to the bow, barely illuminating their path. The air was cooler and moist and there was a constant echo of water splashing.

"Allen..."

"Don't worry, Van, I know what I'm doing," the captain replied quietly and his voice still carried a long way. "Anne told me that the cave opens almost like a dome. There's a shore up front where we're going to land."

Van exhaled and tried to see through the darkness but the size of the cave was more than their oil lamps could handle. He couldn't even see the walls. The echo was the only indication of distance, the echo of water splashing, water eating away at the cave and the echo of something else. There was something else in the echo.

A whisper. He strained his ears and realized that there was no source to the echo of the whisper. It was everywhere and nowhere. He turned but the pattern didn't change. It was as if it were in his head.

He jerked when a hand clamped down on his arm and he turned to find Allen staring at him in the glare of the lamp.

"Pull yourself together."

They had reached the beach. Van brushed Allen's hand off with a snarl and jumped into the shallow water to help land the boat. The sand crunched under the keel when they dragged it onto the shore.

Torches that were fastened to the stony walls illuminated the small bay. They stood around the boats, looking at each other, looking at Allen.

"Well, Cap'n, what now?" Orth scratched his bald head with a dagger. The blade sparkled in the orange light of the torches.

Allen's smile stretched into the shadows under his eyes. "We knock."

He signalled two men to stay behind with the boats and turned to follow the way that led into the heart of the cliff. The labyrinthine tunnels went deep into the stone. Voices reverberated from the walls and it was impossible to tell where they came from.

They split up at every intersection. They knew what they were looking for. They knew what to do. Van remained with Allen and hoped the captain knew what he was doing.

While they were slowly working their way through the maze, Van listened to noises, tried to remember the pattern, tried to remember the intersections. The tunnel system wasn't big but complex. They passed another turn and the echo of their footsteps hurried ahead of them.

Suddenly, the shadows on the wall of an intersection ahead of them were changing, moving, as if the torches were dancing in a draft. The grating of metal sounded in the silence left when they stopped and unsheathed their swords. Allen cursed when Darek and Riad rounded the corner, their swords raised.

"What's going on?" Allen inquired and both men stepped up to him.

Darek looked at Riad and then addressed his captain with a voice close to a whisper. "This place is cursed, Cap'n. There is nobody here."

"Oh, stop with that stupid superstition already." Allen sheathed his sword. "Did you find anything at all?"

"Nothing." Darek shook his head and pointed toward where they had come from. "The tunnels are empty. There's nothing else here, just tunnels. It's a maze."

Allen nodded and hurried on ahead. "We're staying together."

They continued their way and with every step Van felt his heart beating harder against his ribcage, pumping adrenaline through his veins. Adrenaline and something else, something like anticipation mixed with an old knowledge. He could feel it prickle on his skin like the static electricity of an incoming thunderstorm. He heard his blood roaring in his ears and it almost drowned the whisper in his head, almost. It was getting louder with every passing step, more urgent. He could almost decipher words.

He was concentrating so hard that he didn't notice that they were approaching the end of a tunnel. Allen noticed and stopped. Van stumbled when he ran into the captain.

The tunnel opened into a cave that was flooded with moonlight. Stone pillars as thick as trunks of centennial trees stood at the opening, supporting the dome and obscuring the view. The ceiling had caved in at its zenith and revealed the night sky. A thin stream of water and moonlight poured from the hole, gathering in a small pond at the bottom of the cave, shimmering like liquid silver.

Van peered around one of the stone pillars and spotted a group of about twenty men gathered toward the center of the cave. Their voices carried all the way across and from his elevated place he saw that Orth and three other men of Allen's crew where on their knees among them.

Eyes wide, he turned to face Allen who nodded his head slightly, indicating that he had seen them as well. Van saw the unspoken curses that made Allen's lips twitch. He reached for his sword and Van noticed the silence in his head. The whisper was gone.

"Captain Allen Schezar."

The words echoed throughout the cave as if spoken by a dozen men. Van pressed his body against the stone, trying to disappear in it. He could feel the moistness of the pillar seep through his shirt and when he raised his eyes to look at Allen he noticed that the shadows around them were moving. Silhouettes peeled from the darkness and eight men suddenly surrounded them, swords raised.

"Who is this?" Allen yelled and his fist clenched around the hilt of his sword.

"Drop your swords. Any form of resistance will cost you one crew member," the disembodied voice ordered in a multiple echo, mocking him.

Allen ground his teeth. His internal struggle showed on his face, in the downward twist of his mouth, in the wrinkle between his knitted brows and the angry fire in his eyes. Allen Schezar did not surrender, did not negotiate. They were all aware of it, had known what they were getting themselves into when they had set foot on his ship.

But Allen did not sacrifice his crew. Not when it could be averted, not when it was his fault. He could hear Anne's voice, heard her words, heard the warning that he would lead them to their death.

With a snarl he let his sword drop. It clinked against the stone. Three more swords followed. They were led down a short flight of stony stairs to where the group had already gathered.

They were young, all barely older than Van. None of them seemed to fit the voice.

"Who...?" Allen ground out and turned, searching the group of captors for their leader.

"Schezar, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Welcome to my humble abode."

Allen whirled around, coming to face an old man. He was tall and bony, his skin wrinkled and half of his face hidden in a white beard. His violet eyes were cold, belying his address of welcome.

His laugh was raspy. "You are late. We were expecting you to arrive much sooner."

Van looked at Allen and couldn't hide his surprise. He groaned when he was suddenly hit in the back of his head and fell, stars exploding in front of his eyes. A rope was wound tightly around his wrists, biting into his skin. He was kneeling at Allen's feet, fighting the rising nausea.

Allen's expression was blank. "What is going on here?"

"Well, it's quite obvious, isn't it?" The old man extended a hand and Allen could see the skin stretch over his bones like worn leather. "You came here to steal my part of the map."

Allen wasn't surprised. They knew about each other and it was just a matter of time until the parts of the map would unite. Allen just didn't know how to feel about the fact that the old man knew who he was. Either he was far better known than he had thought or he hadn't done his homework quite as well as his opponent.

It irked him that the old man seemed to be more than just a step ahead. He hadn't known what to expect. Anne had only been able to tell him about the location but she hadn't known anything about the inhabitants of the cave. Her father hadn't returned to tell her about them. All she had were a few descriptions by the surviving crew members but they hardly made sense.

"As far as I know it is not your map," Allen replied with calculating coldness. Out of the corners of his eyes he watched as Van shook the dizziness from his head.

There was a small smile that tugged at wrinkled lips. "You are much smarter than you let on, Schezar, just like your father."

Like a sudden gust of wind, the words relumed the fire in Allen's eyes. He didn't want to admit his fault, didn't want to accept that he had been outsmarted but his father was his greatest weakness and he couldn't hold back. "How do you know my father? Who the hell are you?"

"Your father and I shared the same passion, the same love you could say. I am Isaac Dornkirk, Captain of the Oscuridad." The old man bowed and Allen knew it was meant in mocking. This was all a game to him.

"Liar," Allen snarled. He wanted to grasp the hilt of his sword but his fingers curled around air. "Ikarus was captain of the Oscuridad."

"Yes, he _was_ until I found his ship. I found it, I get to keep it." Dornkirk circled Allen like a lion its prey. The crew stood in a wide circle around them, their straight posture and watchful eyes betraying their seemingly bored expressions.

Allen wondered what really happened in that storm. They had thought the third ship that had gone in search of the ultimate treasure, the _Oscuridad_, had sunk in a devastating storm, the crew and the map lost forever. And now this old man stood before him in command of the ship, claiming to know his father. Allen realized that Dornkirk's answer to his first question had been vague, probably on purpose.

"You did not find it, you took it. You killed the crew. You broke the codex and ruined my name." He was livid and he wasn't able to hide it. He didn't want to anymore.

Dornkirk smiled. "I see you have it all figured out, aye, Schezar?"

Allen's response was a glare and Dornkirk continued: "I was trying to find you. Can you live with the knowledge that everybody who died under my hands had to die because of you?"

The words were meant to throw Allen off-balance but they rolled off him like water off a glass pane. He remembered every face of every man through whose chest he had run his sword. The moment he let it get to him, it would take control over him and drive him over the edge of sanity. He was able to curl his lips in a sneer around his anger. The old man had obviously underestimated him and Allen let him know through the condescension in his eyes.

Something flashed across Dornkirk's face. "Seems that I should have been more patient for you would come to me after all. I don't assume you've got your part of the map with you."

"I thought you knew everything." Allen shrugged and his mind was running a mile a minute. His eyes darted around, assessing the other crew, trying to find a way out, mulling over a dozen possibilities and knocked just as many on the head. He caught Van's gaze who was still kneeling beside him. "I don't have it on me. I'd have been a fool if I had brought it along."

"You are a fool for leaving it behind as well, Schezar. Either way, you cannot win. You shouldn't have come here." He turned and his voice carried into the farthest corner of the cave. "Folken!"

Van's head snapped up, his eyes wide. Grass. Fields. Sun. Laughter. A smile. Folken. His lips remembered the name. "Folken…"

The crew parted to make room for a tall man who stepped up to Dornkirk. His hair had the color of water and his left arm was made of metal. It sparkled in the light of the torches like a blade.

"Find out where he has the map. No need to be gentle. We won't need them anymore once we know." Dornkirk turned away.

Folken inclined his head. "Aye, Cap'n."

When he turned he came to face Van whose expression was one of disbelief and utter confusion. Folken's eyes widened and Van saw something in them that startled him, something he had never seen on a stranger, something he had not expected to find here; recognition.

Folken's lips moved but the words died in the wake of an explosion that shook the entire cave. Stones fell from the ceiling, splashing into the silver lake. A series of dull noises wafted through the stone. Cannon shots.

Allen didn't waste any more time and used the moment of surprise and confusion to drop down to his knees and pull a knife from his boot. He swiftly cut the rope that tied Van's wrists. With one noiseless move he was back on his feet and immediately lunged at Folken. Van woke from his daze and scrambled forward to grab his sword from where Dornkirk's crew had left it on a pile.

When his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword a boot came down on his hand. Van bit down a curse and kicked out his feet, hitting his opponent in the hollows of the knees. The young man went down with a groan and Van knocked him out with a punch to the jaw. He turned and saw when Allen's dagger collided with Folken's metal arm.

Chaos ruled the cave. Shouts and curses echoed off the wall and mixed with muffled groans. Allen's men had risen and fought with daggers and their bare hands.

Dull thuds hit the stone and dust exploded from the walls. Big chunks of stone fell to the ground around them. Van ducked under a blade and sent the owner to the ground with a well directed elbow to the ear. The hairs at the back of his neck suddenly stood and he turned, meeting Folken's eyes. He held the other man's gaze for a heartbeat that seemed like a lifetime.

He couldn't make sense of the images that whirled through his mind. Van wanted to cross the abyss that separated them and ask the man with the aqua-blue hair why he knew his name. Before he could even make the decision to form the words Folken had disappeared in a tunnel.

Van was instantly assaulted by reality again and fear gripped him when he remembered who had fought against Folken. He whirled around and found Allen fending off two other members of Dornkirk's crew. They all stumbled when the next explosion tore another hole in the flesh of the stone and before Allen could react, the two men had fled.

The dust settled and Allen was in front of him when they raced through the maze of tunnels back to their boats. The torches flickered in their wake and the walls seemed alive with moving shadows.

Allen cursed everything under the sun when they reached the bay and all boats were gone. Cannon shots could still be heard, muffled through the stone.

The water lapped at Van's boots where he stood in the sand and he watched the boats as they grew smaller with the distance, not really seeing them. Trying to comprehend what he had felt, he realized he had known it would happen. The nervous restlessness inside him had swung in tune to the events that had unfurled, like a pendulum, as if he had been waiting for it.

And he suddenly knew with a sinking certainty that the key to his past had just disappeared from his field of vision. He knew he had never been closer to the answers he so desperately sought than when he had stared into Folken's eyes.

The intensity of the feeling that surged in the wake of this knowledge had him nearly keeling over.

Allen watched Van from a distance and he didn't like the look on his face. That boy's face was like an open book and he didn't even know it. Right now the expression on Van's face meant trouble and after what had just happened Allen had enough to worry about. He had never been outsmarted like this before. He felt stupid. He felt like a pawn.

He didn't need the expression on Van's face to add to his list of problems.

Looking at his crew, he waited for something to happen. There was nothing he could do for all the boats were gone. He had an inkling of who was behind the cannon shots.

Eventually, the noise from beyond the entrance of the cave died down and soon afterwards three dinghies ploughed through the water towards them. Allen had never been happier to be the receiving end of Captain Anne's gloating.

She was the first to join his side but there was no humor on her face. Her eyes lay in shadows under her hat but he could tell by the curve of her mouth that she was boiling with rage. It was a rare occurrence and a sadistic part of him felt proud to have her riled up like that.

"Schezar, what did I tell ye 'bout riskin' yer crew's life?" The words were spoken slowly and they were distinctively angry.

The tension of the last hours fell away from him and he knew that he was threading on thin ice when he grinned. "I didn't know you cared."

She was out of his league and to see her worried about him was more than he ever thought he would be able to accomplish.

Her lips were pressed to a thin line. He knew she was itching to slap him and he knew that she had the self-control to refrain from it. "Now is not the time fer joking, Schezar. This is exactly how I lost me father. Now tell me, would I have had to dig up yer grave, if I hadn't been on time?"

She was right and he was too proud to admit that. "How did you know?"

She replied to his change of topic with a scoff. "I didn't. But I knew ye'd be stupid enough to pull a stunt like that so we set out to follow ye."

"They're gone?"

"Yeah, it took them a while to return fire and by the time they did, it was already too late. We blew some nice holes into that ship. They scurried off like the cowards they are."

Narrowing her eyes, she was about to continue when Dryden suddenly stepped between them, speaking low and fast. Allen watched Anne as she studied the former captain from under her hat.

"Allen, did you listen to me?" Dryden barked and Allen's head snapped around. Dryden was soaked to the bone, his dark hair plastered to his head. His eyes were livid.

"Did you swim?"

Dryden groaned. "Yes, I did. We had to jump overboard. It was the only way. They knew we were coming! It was almost as if they were expecting us, we didn't stand a chance!" He was speaking with his hands, a nervous habit. "And they knew we were coming for the map. They asked me about it, asked if I had my piece with me."

Allen's eyes lost their focus when he stared into the distance. "We were being expected as well. He knew our plan. There's something not right about it."

"How is that possible?" Dryden looked torn and tired.

"I don't know." He turned to look at Anne only to find her staring at him.

"I told ye to stay away from 'ere. A minute later and ye would've joined me father." She blamed herself for telling him, he could see it in her shaded eyes. He felt sorry for having disappointed her, for having her worried. The victory tasted bitter now.

They filed into the dinghies and set out toward the entrance of the cave. It was still dark outside but the Mystic Moon had finally risen over the edge of the cliffs, casting the sea in silver light. They rowed in silence, Anne's ship, the _Northern Star_, in their wake.

The boats were gliding along the coast of the island, headed to where they had left the _Black Lady_. When they rounded the end of the ridge cries of outrage suddenly tore the silence, the voices that were filling the air like a buzz to the ears.

They were staring with wide eyes at the _Black Lady_ whose sails hung in shreds, torn multiple times, swaying lifelessly in the breeze.

"What in the name of…" Allen trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, dreading the meaning of it.

Van's hands had tightened around the brim of the boat, his knuckles white. He was staring at the ship and he felt coldness creep into his body that numbed him. Biting his lip until he drew blood, he forced himself to keep the worst case scenario out of his head.

He blamed himself for letting this happen. He should have convinced Allen to leave more men behind to guard the ship. He should have stayed behind as well. He should have protected Merle. He had promised he would. He heard his own voice echo within his head, telling her he would fight for her, every time he had told her, so many times.

The minutes stretched painfully. When they finally reached the ship Van was the first one to reach for the rope and climb the hull. He could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck, heard his blood roar in his ears. Pulling himself effortlessly over the railing, he looked around wildly. He didn't see the three bodies that lay on deck, covered with blankets. He didn't see Millerna who was about to enter the deck when he raced past her. He didn't see anything but that Merle was not there, waiting for him.

Under deck he yelled her name. Over and over again and the only reply was the dull echo of his own voice. His heart was hammering in his chest and his vision blurred. He had failed her.

His worst nightmare. Calling her and getting no reply. Looking for her and not finding her.

He should have taught her how to fight. She didn't stand a chance and it was his fault. He couldn't always be there and protect her. He realized that. He had thought he could but he had been wrong.

Merle was his constant, his equilibrium. He was thrown off-balance without her, was lost.

He stumbled back on deck and found the crew gathered around Millerna and Hitomi. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the covered bodies and his heart stopped. He stood and stared, feeling his world crumble beneath his feet.

A hand touched his shoulder but it didn't reach him. It took seconds for Gaddes's words to register. "It's not her, Van."

He choked on a feeling of nausea that almost overwhelmed him. Swallowing the bile and the pain and salt of imminent tears, he turned away from Gaddes and joined the crew. With an strength he didn't know he still possessed he pushed Orth and Reeden out of his way and addressed Millerna, his voice cold. "Where is Merle?"

The princess hugged herself and rubbed her arms that were covered with goose bumps. He thought he saw pity in her eyes but the fear that tore him apart inside almost blinded him. "I don't know."

He turned to face Hitomi who avoided his eyes when he looked at her. She sat curled on a box, the hair to the side of her head still clotted with dry blood and her fists clenched. He wanted to grab her chin and force her head up so he could look in her eyes. He wanted to see what she was hiding. "What does it mean, you don't know?!"

"It means just that, Van." Allen rested his hands on Van's shoulders in an attempt to calm him. He could feel just how tense Van was, coiled tightly, about to snap.

He snarled and twisted out of Allen's grasp. "What do you know?"

"I know that she is obviously not here and since her body isn't here either ..." Allen pointed at the bodies clad in blankets. "...I assume that wherever she is she is still alive. They wouldn't take a body."

"This is all your fault!" Van yelled and attempted to charge at Allen with a feral growl but Orth managed to hold him back. Van fought him fiercely, his eyes wild. "If you hadn't taken so many men with you..."

"Then more would be dead now!" Allen yelled right back in his face and Van ceased struggling. His eyes were still blazing.

Dryden pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Hitomi. Her face was paler than usual in the moonlight. "What happened exactly?"

She pulled her knees against her chest and hugged them with long arms. She shivered despite the humid warmth of a tropic night. "Merle heard that someone was coming on board and went to secure the maps. We locked Millerna in the storage and went to the captain's cabin.

"She was supposed to take care of the maps, I was going to take care of the intruder. I...we struggled but he was too fast. I think I fell and hit my head." She shook her head and her lips moved but for a moment there was no sound. "The next thing I remember is waking up on the floor, alone."

"How many?" Allen asked when she didn't give any indication to continue.

Hitomi blinked and looked up, genuinely confused. "How many what?"

Allen waved a hand in a gesture that included the entire ship. "How many did that?"

"One."

"Just one?" Allen exploded and looked at the other faces surrounding him, all showing disbelief. "One man did that? Did you see him?"

She had but not with her eyes. "Yes. He had white hair and red eyes."

"What happened to the maps?" Dryden looked at Allen who averted his eyes, focusing his attention on Hitomi.

Without looking up she uncurled her hand and black ashes were smeared over her palm, the wind picking up pieces and carrying them away. Dryden's eyes widened and Allen's jaw slackened.

"What did you do?" he whispered, looking at Hitomi and then at the ashes. Tentatively, he reached out and grasped bits of black soot. It turned to dust between his fingertips.

"I told her to hide the maps not burn them." Hitomi shook her head. "I don't know what happened."

"Did Merle do that? Why would she do that?" Dryden took the remains of the maps from Hitomi and when he saw that they had completely blackened he left the ashes to the wind. There was no need to keep them, they weren't able to lead the way anymore.

"I have an idea and I hope for her sake that that's what she did." Allen looked at Dryden and Dryden could see a decision forming in his eyes. "Merle would risk my eternal wrath to save her skin. She had to make herself as valuable as that map so she wouldn't get killed. And I think she succeeded."

He turned slightly and looked at Van who had given up fighting Orth and Kio, however his eyes were still brimming with contained rage.

"We will get her back. You have my word, Van."

* * *

Millerna found Hitomi curled up on her bed, facing the wall, trying to crawl into the wall and hide. She knew Hitomi hadn't moved in the last six hours. "How are you?"

Hitomi didn't stir but Millerna knew that she wasn't sleeping, judging by the erratic breathing. She sat down at the end of the bed and the mattress dipped. "I feel weak," Hitomi said in a quiet voice.

"You'll get better in no time." Millerna rubbed her friend's leg soothingly.

"No, I mean..." Finally Hitomi moved and the sheets rustled when she sat up. Her eyes were swollen and her face was still pale. She had tried to sleep for the last hours but the tears hadn't let her. "I wake up after being knocked out and the first thing I do is throw up. I'm shaking without a reason."

It was like ague but she wasn't cold. Her entire body was shaking like a leaf in a storm. She couldn't stop it. And she couldn't tune out the scream that echoed inside her mind, the scream of a dying man.

She had never heard it until the day before. She had never known what it would be like. She had never fought for her life. She had never had such nightmares. She saw the white hair and the red eyes even when her eyes were open, heard the scream, a multiple echo inside her skull.

She knew she had to be strong, wanted to be strong, but her body wasn't listening, shaking all over and not letting her sleep. She felt it cold and heavy in the pit of her stomach, felt it in the pricking sensation at the back of her eyes, and she hated herself for feeling that fear. She was disappointed with herself and she couldn't find words to describe it.

She had overestimated herself. She had thought she was stronger.

Millerna squeezed her leg. "That's the shock. You've never..."

The princess didn't finish her thought. Hitomi sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. She knew what Millerna had wanted to say. She didn't want to think about it. "I know."

There was a heartbeat of silence when Hitomi gathered courage and tried to fight her anger at the same time. "Why did you say those things in the storage?"

Millerna slowly pulled her hands back and folded them in her lap. She sat straight and looked at Hitomi. "Because I owed you some honesty."

"So you meant what you said." Hitomi's voice was not accusing, simply tired and sad.

"Not in the spiteful way I said it but I think you still got what I meant. I had to tell you. It was eating me up from inside."

Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at Millerna, not understanding. "Why?"

"Because I'm jealous." Her gaze did not waver when she saw the surprise register on Hitomi's features. Of course, she wouldn't understand. "I'm jealous of you. Your life. Everything you have because it's all I ever wanted and never will have."

Hitomi's lips formed words that she couldn't speak so Millerna continued, her posture proud although she was admitting a flaw. "And I was angry because you have everything, a caring father, your freedom, the world at your feet, and you're still not satisfied. You rebel when there is no need to, you complain when you shouldn't, you do not appreciate when you should. You take it all for granted."

"Millerna, I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't. I'm sorry, Hitomi. I had to tell you. I felt as if I was lying to you with every word I said." Millerna smiled a sad, pained smile. "I can't help it."

Hitomi felt contradicting emotions rage inside her but somehow it made sense. She felt hurt and proud. She was angry and yet she was glad Millerna had told her.

"I respect your feelings, Millerna. I respect your courage for telling me. Thanks, I guess." Hitomi watched her friend closely and saw the fleeting shadow of a relieved smile that just barely touched the corners of her lips.

"You're not mad at me?" Hitomi choked on a disbelieving laugh at Millerna's question.

"I should be asking that question. But no, I'm not mad."

She had been angry when she hadn't known what was going on. She had been angry at Millerna for not telling her then, for leaving her to assume what she could have possibly done wrong. She knew their friendship had only survived for so long because they were honest with each other. Millerna would have never allowed her to come so close, had she not been able to deal with the princess' blunt honesty while at the same time being honest herself.

Millerna didn't have many close friends. There were dozens of young women who were merely acquainted with her but thought themselves her best friends. She was aware of the fact that being friends with her was a matter of prestige which is why she had started early to turn away too eager people according to her own criteria. To her own astonishment Hitomi had survived the selection process without even noticing.

Millerna sat back and leaned on her elbows, the sheets brushing against her skin. "Good."

And they were. She saw it in Millerna's eyes. She felt it with the butterflies that were dancing in excitement in her stomach. She felt happy and exhausted as if she had just overcome an obstacle, as if she had just conquered herself. She knew their friendship had just passed a turning point without turning, had passed a breaking point without breaking. They were good.

Her smile turned solemn. "What happens now?"

Millerna knew she wasn't referring to the conversation they had just had. She was referring to the conversation that was to come. She sighed, stalled, hesitated. "I don't know. Have you thought about helping them?"

Hitomi's eyes narrowed sceptically and there was an amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "What? How could I possibly..." She trailed off when she saw the look in Millerna's eyes and the smile disappeared under a layer of coldness. "No, Millerna. Don't even go there."

Millerna sat back up and leaned forward. Hitomi retreated further against the wall. Millerna's eyes were hopeful, Hitomi's were cold. "But Hitomi, you can find her. That's the least..."

"Millerna, I don't do that anymore, you know that." Her voice was low and urgent, and very angry. "I promised my father not to do it anymore. I'm not going to break that promise. I cant do that. And why are you suddenly so hell-bent on helping that cat?"

"I'm not her biggest fan but even she doesn't deserve that." The princess raised an eyebrow at Hitomi's indignant expression. "She wanted to help and look where it got her."

Hitomi closed her eyes. "If I just hadn't been so..."

"It's not your fault." Millerna's voice was soft and when she saw Hitomi biting her lip, she added with more vigor: "It's not. There's nothing you could have done."

She wasn't so sure about that. If she had been more careful, if she had been faster, if she had been more aggressive, maybe she could have stopped the intruder. She could have saved Merle. She wondered if he blamed her.

"Hitomi, you've got that talent for a reason. Maybe you are meant to help them."

She ignored Millerna's words and tried to hide inside her head. The bed dipped again when Millerna got up and the silence was foreboding.

"Well, I certainly think so which is why I'm going to do something about it."

Hitomi's eyes snapped open but Millerna had already left the room. "What?! Millerna!"

She scrambled out of bed and followed the princess to Allen's cabin. She caught up with her just when Millerna burst through the door.

Allen, Dryden, Gaddes and Captain Anne sat around a table that was cluttered with maps and rum. Dryden and Gaddes looked startled, Allen merely annoyed. "Your Highness, this is my ship and even if it's against your nature you are to obey me which includes polite knocking and waiting until you are asked to come in."

Millerna fought the urge to roll her eyes and to the astonishment of the men in the room she curtseyed and spoke without the slightest trace of sarcasm in her voice. "I apologize, Captain. But I might just know a way to help you."

Allen sceptically raised an eyebrow. There was enough sarcasm in his voice to provide the both of them. "Really?"

Millerna ignored his tone and quickly glanced at Hitomi over her shoulder. Her eyes were pleading. "Hitomi is a seer."

"Millerna!" Hitomi exploded. It was her secret, hers alone. The one thing she kept to herself. She had never told Millerna, the princess had put the pieces together herself. Hitomi didn't need them to know that about her as well.

"They won't burn you at the stake, don't worry." Her expression was mostly sympathetic when she looked at Hitomi but there was a soft, underlying anger in her eyes. "It's a gift! When are you going to accept that?"

Hitomi clenched her fists at her side. This far and not a step further. She could accept Millerna being angry at her for not appreciating her freedom but she could not accept Millerna being angry at her for not appreciating her burden. "It's a curse! When are you going to understand that?"

Allen had rounded the table and now stood between them. Hitomi looked ready to pounce. "Ladies, calm down."

Dryden pushed his glasses up his nose and assessed her with knowing eyes. "Hitomi, is it true?"

She squirmed under his gaze and was about to turn away and run when she noticed Van standing just a few feet behind her in the hallway. He was watching with wide eyes and she knew he had heard everything when she saw the hope that blazed in his eyes.

He had not been around all day. He hadn't been with the crew, hadn't sought out anybody's company, not even Allen's.

She realized in all the time she had been on the ship she had never seen him with the crew. He never talked with anybody longer than necessary. He never ate with the crew. The only one he allowed around was Merle.

She knew his haunted, auburn eyes would follow her into her dreams. She couldn't turn away. She couldn't lie. "Somewhat," she mumbled finally. "I'm not very powerful, I see bits and pieces of the future."

Van slowly covered the distance between them, careful as if afraid she would run, as if afraid he had imagined it. He stopped beside her, towering over her. He was warm and vulnerable. She wanted to touch his face and reassure him that everything would be alright.

"Can you find Merle?" His voice was empty, all the emotion bottled in his eyes. She knew he wanted to reach out and grasp her arm, stop her from running away. It was written all over his face and she saw the muscles work in his forearms when he clenched his fists, telling of his inner struggle. She knew he wouldn't touch her but she didn't know why.

"I can try." She looked at him and knew she couldn't take the hope away from him anymore. He had fought his pride and now bared his soul to her. She owed him hope. "I will try."

* * *

A/N: Haha, I know this is a little unexpected. I was a wee bit surprised myself :P It's owed to favourable circumstances. This however does not mean the next update will be out that fast again, I'm afraid. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Makes me happy to see that I've still got some readers :) I also apologize for the typos. Somehow, some really evil ones survived my reading this thing a gazillion times :snorts:

Btw, the title is a song by Yellowcard. It is not my doing :P And it has nothing to do with the chapter, I just liked the words.

Dariel


	10. Visions

Chapter 10 – Visions

* * *

Merle was carving deep notches into the floorboards with her claws. The wood splintered. It bit into the skin of her fingertips but she didn't care.

There was nothing else she could do. The room she was locked in was small and empty. There were no windows. She didn't know what time if day it was. She must have spent hours in that room, the night had probably passed.

She lay on the ground, curled in a corner, her cheek against the boards. The only noise was the scraping of her fingernails across the boards.

She was tired of thinking of ways to hurt Van. If he hadn't refused to teach her how to fight with a sword, she wouldn't be in this situation. The minute she laid eyes on him again he was in for the tongue-lashing of his life. She hoped he was worried sick and deprived of sleep due to blaming himself.

But somehow, knowing that he was didn't bring the desired effect. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to smooth his brows and tell him his face would carry that expression forever if he kept frowning so much. It always made him smile. She wanted to make him smile.

Not liking the pricking sensation at the back of here eyes, she angrily blinked, willing the tears away. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried. She didn't cry and she wouldn't start now. She had never given up.

She wouldn't disappoint Van.

She wondered what he was doing, if he was already searching for her. That annoying girl, Hitomi, was probably with him, latching onto his arm. The hair on Merle's tail stood on end. She didn't know what it was that aggravated her about Hitomi, didn't know why she felt threatened by her. There was no need to feel threatened. Merle wasn't naïve, she knew the effect she had on men - and women. And she knew Hitomi felt it too. She saw it in Hitomi's eyes.

But she still set Merle on edge. And she wasn't even pretty. She was tall and lanky and lacked Merle's curves. Her hair was too short and she was wearing men's clothes all the time. She was nothing like the women Merle usually had to fend off.

Maybe it was the way Van looked at her when he thought nobody was watching that unnerved Merle. She groaned and rolled on her back. She couldn't believe she was comparing herself to that girl in this situation. She shook her head.

She wondered how Van would save her and realized that there was no way he could possibly know where she was. She had burned the only thing that could've helped him. Her throat tightened and she could taste her own tears.

She would find a way out even if she didn't know what time of the day it was. She was hungry, that she knew. Her stomach growled into the darkness. She was cranky when she was hungry. And she had no idea what was going to happen. After she had burned the map, the red-eyed intruder had taken her to his ship. She had been locked up again and that was where she had been ever since.

The creaking of boards woke her and she shook the drowsiness from her mind. She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep. She was on her feet in an instant.

She squeezed her eyes shut when the door opened and light fell through the doorframe that blinded her. It came from the hallway where lamps lined the wall, the shadows swaying softly with the movements of the ship. Blinking, she discerned two silhouettes against the light and her eyes widened when she saw that they were cat-women.

She went ashore every time the crew of the _Black Lady_ went. Sometimes she went by herself. There had only been a few occasions when she had met one of her kin.

The two women were beautiful, one silver, one gold. Twins. They walked with the feline grace their kin were gifted with. Merle was torn. Her first reaction was hesitance and mistrust but something about them made her relax, just barely, against her will.

Narrowing her eyes, she moved her feet apart and hunched her shoulders slightly, a stance she had copied from Van. She hadn't watched him fight for all these years without picking up one or two things. Her claws glinted in the light.

She would not back down.

"Hello." Both women smiled. "Merle."

She was thrown off balance and retracted her claws. "You know who I am."

"We do." It was the golden cat who spoke. Her voice was soft and melodic and Merle tried not to get lost in the spell it seemed to cast over her. "And we know much more than just that. We know the secrets you have kept. We know your past and your future."

Merle was ready to pounce, her muscles coiled in anticipation. Her mistrust had grown with every word. And suddenly, it made sense. They were seers. She had heard about them in bars, whispers on the street. She had imagined them as old women who offered to tell the future to all those who sought answers and had enough money to pay for it. The more money, the brighter the future. Many charlatans. Just a few who really had the second sight.

"We saw your little friends." Now, the silver cat spoke and her voice had no echo in the almost empty room. "We knew you were coming for us. We didn't see you were going to burn the maps. Smart girl."

Merle's eyes widened. So, this was how they had found Allen's ship. For a while she had even thought that they had been betrayed, that one of the crew members had sold his soul. She had doubted almost everyone on the ship and had felt the pain stabbing harder with each crew member she had accused in the darkness of her prison.

"Why are you telling me that? Why are you here?"

They were confusing her. Her head still spun from the events that had taken place a few hours ago, spun from the realization of what she had done. She had risked her life for one of Allen's obsessions. She wished she could say she had done it solely to preserve her life. But while she had watched the maps burn, she had pondered the possibility of finding the third part. She was close now but what would she do if she had the map? There were at least a good three days of water in every direction.

And now the two seers told her that they knew her every step.

"You must know a few things." Their voices were soft, luring her, promising impossible things.

Merle felt her shoulders relax almost against her will and she shook her head, trying to break through the haze that surrounded her thoughts. She frowned. "You gonna tell me my future now or what? You see something and it is going to happen? I have no choice? Why didn't you see what I would do?"

"We see one of many possibilities. They are quite likely to happen but there is always an unknown element. Like you." Their voices seemed to spin a net around her thoughts, like a melody that distracted her. "Your future is very unstable. It changes frequently. You are not sure about what you will do."

Whatever she chose to do about her situation, they would know. They would stop her. She would set out, knowing she would fail. The magnitude of that knowledge almost overwhelmed her. It made her dizzy and she had to reach out and hold onto the wall. Her claws sunk into the wood. "You'll stop me."

"We mustn't. This is the burden of the seer. We see but we don't interfere. It is our duty to preserve the balance." The silver cat took a step toward Merle. The room seemed smaller all of a sudden and Merle felt that she was breathing faster. "It is important that you know."

Merle retreated further into a corner of the room. "But by helping those monsters you are taking sides."

The golden cat shook her head softly and stepped back, sensing Merle's discomfort. The spell broke and Merle shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "No, we're not helping, we're merely telling. What people do with the information we provide is beyond us."

Merle stepped out of the shadows and looked at the cat-women. She knew she was missing something. They were trying to tell her something she didn't understand. She was frustrated. "Why are you telling me that?"

The golden cat finally touched her arm but Merle didn't pull back. It wouldn't make a difference. They had virtually told her they knew her every step before she even knew it. She looked up and there was something in the seer's eyes that sent a chill down her spine. It was a foreboding feeling.

"You will understand later. Now, you have to come with us. The captain wishes to see you."

There was no need to protest, no need to fight. She knew she had no choice. This time.

Merle followed the two cat women out of the room and was surprised to find that the interior of the ship looked exactly like the Black Lady. The hallway was the same, same length, same number of doors in the same spot. The stairs were the same. It was just that everything looked much older. Some boards were broken and nobody had cared to mend them. In many spots the paint peeled off the walls. The ship looked less taken care of, less loved.

It was like Allen had said. She knew that the blueprint of this ship would fit the one of the Black Lady exactly. She knew how the red-eyed intruder had found them so quickly.

Merle had planned to memorize the ground plan of the ship so she would be able to escape more easily. It wasn't necessary anymore because she knew this ship like the back of her hand. She was hardly able to contain her excitement.

They passed a few members of the crew, loitering in doorways, watching her. Many of them were young, maybe Van's age. Some were older, more rugged looking.

The captain's cabin was dimly lit and shadows occupied every nook and cranny, even the deep wrinkles in the face of the man who stood hunched in the twilight. He looked older than anybody she had ever seen. Thin and fragile. He needed a wooden stick to support his weight, his muscles too weak to do so.

For a moment Merle wanted to laugh. This was the man Allen feared? He was no threat. And then Merle looked in his eyes and choked on her laugh. All the life and strength his body obviously lacked was channelled in his eyes. They were glowing wildly, fiercely, unwilling to let go of life just yet, ready to make every necessary sacrifice.

When he spoke his voice chilled her bones. "Smart girl. You did the only thing that would save your life."

Merle stood rigid, her hands fisted at her side.

"Well, I hope for your sake that you remember what you burned." He jerked his head briefly to the side and the hairs at the back of her neck stood when she felt the shadows beside her move.

The red-eyed intruder stepped up to her and grabbed her arm so tightly that she knew he would leave a bruise. She hissed at him and he hit her squarely across the face. Merle bit down the tears and bared her teeth when he pushed her into a chair.

She met the eyes of the two cat women across the room and remembered their words. They were not going to interfere.

The old captain stepped beside her. "You may want to tell us now what was on the two maps that you burned."

Merle shook with a rage that even drowned her fear. She wanted to jump across the table and sink her claws into his wrinkled skin.

But it had been bound to happen. She had known it the moment she set the maps on fire. She did not want to betray Allen yet she knew it was the only way for her to survive.

"Well?"

Through the window beyond his shoulder she could see dawn breaking through the clouds at the horizon. The light was growing stronger with every passing minute, dispersing the shadows. Her voice was calm when inside a storm was raging. "What tells me you're not going to get rid of me as soon as you know?"

Dornkirk chuckled hollowly. It seemed he didn't laugh often. Maybe he had never learned to laugh at all. "We have to make sure you are saying the truth, have we not? You will accompany us to our destination. You have my word that you will live at least until then."

Dilandau grinned. A white flash of teeth in the shadows. A promise of what would happen to her if she didn't comply.

Merle bit her lip. Her thoughts were racing, weighing her option. Only one seemed to offer the chance of a way out. She was completely at their mercy on the ship with no way to escape. She had to bring them to call at a port, had to bring them to land.

The image of Allen's map was burned into her memory. It was clear in front of her inner eye. It showed a coastline and numbers down its side, coordinates of latitude, she had learned that much. Dryden's map held a clutter of islands, at least a hundred of them. One of them was marked with red ink as well as the way through the reef.

Dornkirk's map had to contain the coordinates of longitude or else the other parts were useless. None of the pieces of the map was useful itself, only combined they showed the way to the island.

She was startled out of her thoughts when a tall man with aqua-blue hair and familiar features entered. Merle's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened. She tried to hide the million different emotions that whirled across her features but it was too late. Their eyes met and she saw that he knew she had recognized him.

She bent her head over the table and two tears fell onto the paper. Her hands fisted. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

His dreams were more frequent now and the face of the familiar stranger haunted him. It didn't let him rest at night and followed him even when he fell asleep during the day. The memory hovered at the edge of his consciousness. It was blurred when he was awake. It was clear when he dreamed. Every time he tried to grasp it, it slipped from his mind. And the more he tried, the more impatient he grew the further the memory retreated.

He had to find out how the stranger was connected with his past. He had been waiting for so long for a clue, something, anything that would trigger his memory. He had to know. He needed to know. And he hated it.

It was as if he couldn't accept who he was until he knew, as if he didn't have a shape yet. He didn't want to believe that his past determined who he was and yet there he was, consumed by a restlessness that wouldn't let him sleep until he knew.

"Van, stop that."

Van looked up at Allen and looked back down at his fingers that had been drumming on the table for a while, judging by the annoyed expression on Allen's face. He flexed his fingers and stared at the scarred surface of the table. He was sick of waiting. Their time was running out. He had to find her.

"We'll find her, don't worry."

Van balled his hand into a fist and his anger only grew. As if he were a child that needed consolation. He didn't need that. He didn't need Allen and his useless words.

He had survived on the streets for years, providing for Merle and himself before Allen had felt inclined to take them in. Nobody had helped them, nobody had cared. They hadn't needed anybody else.

He still remembered the day he had met Allen, the way Allen's expensive watch had sparkled in the sunlight. It was the first time someone had caught him pickpocketing and he had resented Allen for it. He had spat at him and Allen had merely smiled. It was ironic that the first feeling he had ever associated with Allen was cold fury.

He spoke without looking up, his voice flat. "You have a lot of confidence in someone you don't know. Why are you so trustful all of a sudden? What if she lied?"

"Why would she lie?" Allen pushed himself off the wall and crossed the room. He caught Anne Flint's eyes and wondered what was going through her mind. Her expression gave away nothing, she was perfectly guarded. How he envied her.

"Why would anybody voluntarily admit to be a seer? She didn't seem so happy when the princess blurted it out. She's probably afraid she'll be burned at the stake. You should learn to trust my decisions."

Van's head snapped up and red hot anger flooded his veins. All-consuming. Blinding. It made his fingers curl into his palms. "Like your last decision when you left three men behind to guard an entire ship?" He snarled and his eyes were cold when he glared at Allen. "The decision that is the reason for this situation?"

"I told you once before and will tell you again that I do not regret this decision. More men would not have changed anything." His voice was controlled but there was an underlying threat of imminent danger. Van was threading on thin ice. "Stop doubting me."

Van slammed his hands flat on the table. He didn't notice that Gaddes was getting ready to interfere. He didn't notice that there were other people in the room.

The air was charged, telling of an incoming storm. "How do you know? How can you possibly tell that –- "

"It was meant to happen!" Allen yelled across the table and as if to emphasize his point he rammed a dagger into the wooden surface.

Van stood up so forcefully that his chair clattered to the ground into the silence behind him. "Suddenly it was meant to happen just because you made a mistake!"

Gaddes took a step toward him. He had seen more than enough of Van's outbursts to know the signs. "Van…"

Allen held out a hand to stop Gaddes, eyes hard, and Van knew he had crossed the line yet again. He was beyond caring. "Watch your tongue, boy. You might say things that you will regret later on. I promised you that we will get her back."

Anne Flint stood by the door, her legs crossed at her ankles, arms crossed in front of her chest. An amused smiled tugged at the corners of her lips as she watched the scene. She didn't make an attempt to interfere.

In one fluent motion Van had rounded the table and grabbed Allen by the collar. With a dull thud he slammed the captain against the wall. Their noses almost touched. "You just want to find Merle because of that stupid map. You don't care about her at all. All you want is that piece of paper."

The room was too small for his anger. He didn't know where it came from but it filled him to the tips of his fingers that were curled tightly into the collar of Allen's shirt. His blood roared in his ears and the corners of his vision blurred. All he saw was Allen's face and the arrogance that lay at the corners of his eyes and all of a sudden he wasn't sure if he would be able to control himself any longer. He wasn't sure if he wanted to.

The captain had made a mistake and he refused to admit it. Van's hands shook and it wasn't only from holding onto Allen's collar so hard that his knuckles had turned white. He respected Allen. The captain had given him food, shelter and some kind of a perspective. He had never pitied Van. But Van's loyalty for Merle was far stronger than his loyalty for Allen. It shouldn't but it always would be.

It was his weakness and he had tried to hide it, had tried to hide his emotions whenever they were about to overwhelm him but he was sure Allen could see right through him. Allen knew that Van was weak.

Allen's eyes had hardened. "So what if I do? It will get her back all the same, won't it? My motivation shouldn't matter to you as long as we have the same goal in mind."

Van snarled. "You are a selfish bastard, Allen."

Allen smiled a smile that did not reach his eyes. He did not fight Van's grip. "And you are absolutely selfless in your actions. Let me give you some well-meant advice: You care too much."

It wasn't the first time he was told that and it wasn't the first time it angered him even more. "And you don't care at all."

"I care to a certain degree. Don't mistake the stupid desire to risk your life for loyalty. You let your emotions take over, Van. I see it all the time. Just like now." With a flick of his wrist he pulled a dagger from his belt and held it to Van's throat. Van's eyes narrowed and he leaned into the blade until it drew blood.

"It could cost your life one day."

And suddenly the storm within him calmed when he realized that Allen was right and that he had long ago accepted it. "I am aware of that. At least I have something worth dying for."

The expression on Allen's face was unreadable and unfamiliar. Van tried to place it and failed but knew that without meaning to he had found something that Allen had never wanted anybody to find.

"If this is an inconvenient moment for you, we can come back later."

All eyes but Van and Allen turned to where Millerna stood in the doorway. Even in torn and dirty clothes she carried an air that allowed no doubt as to who she was. Pushing through the doorway, the princess entered the room as if she owned it. She looked at Van and Allen and merely raised a brow.

Allen did not break eye contact with Van when he replied. "No, we're done here. For now."

With a growl, Van shoved him into the wall one last time and let go. He withdrew into the shadows loitering in the corners of the room, watching Allen straighten his collar.

"Ladies, I am glad you could join us." The captain bowed and motioned to the chairs as if nothing had happened.

Van glowered at the obvious dismissal and turned his attention from Allen to Hitomi who had quietly followed Millerna. She hadn't lost any of her haughtiness although he was sure she would rather be anywhere else than in this very room. He saw her hands fisted at her sides and he was reluctant to admit that he needed her. If he knew just one way to find Merle by himself, he would set out immediately. But he didn't. He was absolutely helpless.

He was dependent on her.

He realized with a start that for the first time in his life he was dependent on someone. Not when he had lived on the streets with Merle, not after joining Allen's crew. He had always had a choice. He had always had the choice to turn around and leave. He did not have that choice now and the feeling was foreign and disconcerting.

"I'm curious, Hitomi, what can you see if you're a seer?" Allen put his face in his hands and watched her when she moved to sit down.

Wearily, she hesitated, her hand on the backrest of the chair. Mistrust sparkled in her eyes. "I can see where things and people are situated in this very moment, like Merle for example. I can see the future..." She inhaled and glanced at Van. She didn't move her head, just a flicker of her eyes but he noticed. "And the past."

Van's eyes widened. She could see the past.

Her eyes fleetingly found him again in the shadows and she bit her lip at the realization that dawned on his face. "Why do you want to know?"

Allen waved his hand dismissively as if it wasn't important at all. It was anything but and everybody knew it. "I was just wondering. You can locate Merle, you say. Could you locate, let's see, the destination that is on the map we're out to get?"

"Allen…" Dryden warned, sensing where this was going.

Van moved noiselessly out of the shadows. His fingers were curled tightly around the hilt of his sword. His voice was low, heavy with controlled anger. "You would set out for the treasure without finding Merle first?"

"No, Van." Allen turned to face him and wasn't surprised at the look of utter betrayal that crossed Van's features. He was disappointed the boy had so little faith in him. He wondered why he had never gained Van's complete trust, what he had done to push him away. It saddened him. "You don't give me enough credit. I do have a heart and feel the slightest bit of loyalty toward her."

Van relaxed and Hitomi spoke before he had the time to force down his pride and apologize. Her voice was icy. Even Van felt the chill through his own anger. "I can only see it if I know what it is. Do you know what that treasure looks like? Heaps of gold and jewels?"

"Forget that I asked you." Allen sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was tired and frustrated. "It doesn't matter."

Hitomi sat down. Anger radiating off her. "Do you still want me to find her?"

"Of course." Allen shook his head as if clearing it from his thoughts. "Do you need anything?"

"No, just the maps. And silence." Hitomi spread the maps out in front of her that Dryden handed her. She was angry. Van could tell by her movements and her slightly knitted brows. It wasn't nervousness or concentration, it was anger.

"This may take a while. Don't expect immediate results." Letting out a long breath, Hitomi took off her necklace and let it dangle from her outstretched hand above the map. Everyone watched when she closed her eyes and started to move her hand slowly across the map.

Van looked at her furrowed brows, the line down her forehead, her lips that were pressed firmly together. She wasn't anything like the women he knew and he would never tell anyone. Her hair was too short and she wore men's clothes. She had the strongest urge to prove herself he had ever seen. It was as if she thought he was judging her every time he looked at her and she had to prove him wrong.

It irked him that he would owe her should she be successful. She didn't make sense. She seemed to despise him with a passion yet she was here, helping them.

Her hand moved steadily across the map, the pendent motionless. It seemed as if nobody dared to breathe, the silence charged with anticipation. She never wavered and the sun dragged the shadows across the floor as minutes turned into hours.

Sweat was glistening at her temple. Suddenly she opened her eyes, exhaling deeply. Van tensed. His legs were stiff and his back hurt but he had refused to sit down.

"I can't see her," Hitomi said quietly and shook her head. "I...I think they are too far away and my feelings are not strong enough to reach her."

"Is there anything we can do about that?" Dryden was at her side and placed both hands flat on the table.

Hitomi stared at the map. "I need something that belongs to her. Something that means a lot to her. I need something with a connection."

She raised her head and immediately found Van in the shadows. Their gazes locked and his heart jumped a beat. He knew what she was asking and he wordlessly pushed himself off the wall to join Hitomi's side. She looked up at him through her bangs and her eyes were brighter than he had ever seen them. Her eyes were so deep they seemed to have no bottom, no end and no beginning. They were old eyes and had seen more than was possible for her age. He momentarily forgot what he wanted to say.

Upon realizing it, the faintest blush tinted his cheeks. "What do I do?"

"Sit." She pointed at the seat across from her and he obliged. "Now, give me your hand. Without the glove."

Taking off the glove, he put his right hand in her open palm. Her skin was soft and warm. He stared at their joined hands.

Hitomi's voice woke him from his thoughts. "Now, close your eyes and concentrate on Merle. Concentrate hard on only her. Picture her in your mind. Her pink hair. Her pointed ears. Her obnoxious personality." Her fingers tightened around his. "And do not let go."

He ignored the warmth of her hand in his palm and imagined Merle's face. A smile twitched at his lips at the angry expression he was looking at. He saw her smile, her laughing eyes. He saw her when she tried to steal his sword, when he chased her across the deck, when she soaked him with dirty water. He saw her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed. He saw her in a dark room, curled in a corner.

He gasped and opened his eyes. Hitomi was looking at him and he had difficulties focusing on his surroundings.

"Did you see her?" Her voice was soft and anchored him. He reached for it like a drowning man for driftwood. He clung to it. Desperate.

He nodded and swallowed. His heart was beating fast against his ribcage and his breath was labored as if he had just been in a swordfight.

Hitomi bent over the map and pointed at a spot in the vast expanse of the Western Ocean. The pendant was glowing in her hand, circling the spot. "She's here."

Allen and Dryden looked over her shoulder. "That's one and a half days away from here. They're fast."

"If we don't know where they're headed we still have no chance to catch up with them." Allen rubbed his chin and looked at Hitomi. "Do you know where they're headed?"

"No, but we can find out." Her eyes found Van's. "Are you ready to try again?"

He nodded and her fingers tightened around his hand. Closing his eyes, he pictured Merle again and something grabbed the front of his shirt and everything that tied him to the present tore when he was pulled into the vision.

Water stretched beneath his feet and he was moving fast. He could feel the wind in his face and the sun on his skin. A black ship ploughed through sea, spray covered the hull. A coast peeled out of the clouds at the horizon. He saw a harbor, a city snuggled against the ocean. He saw a palace, a statue up front, he saw a familiar crest.

His eyes opened and he felt himself fall against the backrest of the chair as if he had been hit hard in the chest. All the air left his lungs. Hitomi had her hand still wrapped around his fingers and her knuckles were white.

Colors whirled at the corners of his vision, reaching for his consciousness. He felt himself sinking back into the vision, sinking back into a world that hadn't yet happened, his feet slipping off the edge of reality. The only thing that held him was Hitomi's grip on his hand. She pulled him back.

"Van?" Dryden's voice drifted through the fog and he shook his head.

"Godashim." Van breathed. The pendant had swung again. "They're heading to Freid."

Allen leaned over the map and furrowed his brows. He looked at Van out of the corners of his eyes. "Are you sure it's Godashim?"

Van nodded and let his head fall against the backrest. He couldn't remember his heart ever beating that fast. He couldn't remember his arms and legs ever feeling that heavy. He was completely drained.

He felt Hitomi's grip loosen around his hand and opened his eyes. Looking at the map, she withdrew her hand into her lap but her warmth remained on his skin. A blush tinted her cheeks.

He wondered if her heart was racing as well. He wondered if she was used to the feeling.

"Godashim's a good five days away from our current position. I can't remember it being on my part of the map." Allen braced one hand on the table and looked up at Dryden. "Was it on yours?"

Dryden shook his head no and pushed his glasses up his nose. He looked at Allen. "I have an idea though."

"Well, there are two possibilities: either it was on the third part or Merle is pulling a stunt."

Dryden ran a hand through his hair and exhaled loudly. "You really think she made that up?"

Allen shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past her. She's trying to save her skin."

Gaddes joined them at the table and faced his captain's profile. "Cap'n, remember that Freid is an ally of Asturia. If you get caught, they are going to hand you over to the royal fleet on a silver platter to be hung."

"So I simply won't get caught." He looked up and his eyes sparkled. "Anne, you with us?"

"No, Schezar." She touched her hat in a gesture of goodbye. "This is yer journey not mine. I'll stay 'til the ship's repaired. I 'ave me own family tee take care of."

"Then I'll try to contact Ruhm. We need another ship."

* * *

The air on deck was hot and sticky, heavy with humidity. It made breathing difficult. Every breath felt as if she was inhaling water.

Perched on a spar high above the deck, Hitomi gathered parts of a black sail around her, trying to find the spot where it had been torn. She had never had to mend any piece of fabric before. There had always been someone to do it for her. But after a few attempts on trial and error, pricking her thumb and sewing her pants into the sail, she found that it was a manageable task. She didn't look like a professional but she didn't look like an idiot either.

Hitomi looked out across the sea and inhaled the salty air. She thought of her father. He was somewhere beyond that horizon, worrying and blaming himself. It was all her fault. She wished she could have been the daughter he wanted, the one who wanted to be taught how to behave like a lady, the one who wouldn't embarrass him in front of his guests by appearing in torn and dirty clothes but would make him smile by being an amiable host, the one who made him proud instead of ashamed. She wished she could stop disappointing him.

She sighed and turned back to her work. They had wasted more than one day already in pursuit of Merle and they would lose even more time if they didn't finish mending the sails soon. The red-eyed intruder had done his job well.

A shadow fell on her and she looked up. She couldn't see his face but she knew it was Van. He towered over her, the sun behind him. The light cast a halo around his head and his face in shadows.

Wordlessly, he sat down on the spar beside her. He moved as if standing on firm ground instead of a narrow piece of wood some 12 meters above the deck. She envied him for his casual grace.

He reached for the sail she had been working on. "You're too slow."

Too surprised that he had actually sought her out on his own accord, she let the comment slide without reacting to it. Van noticed and raised one dark brow at her but when she still did not respond he shrugged and started working on the sail.

After the reading he had left without another word. No thank you. No I appreciate it. Not even a nod of acknowledgement. It surely wouldn't have hurt his pride to thank her. She couldn't remember why she had wanted to help him in the first place.

He loosened the seam she had just finished and Hitomi watched the muscles in his forearms work. She realized that she was staring and blushed, noticing what he was actually doing.

"Hey, I just spent half an hour working on that!" she cried indignantly and grabbed the sail with the intention to take it away from him.

Van tugged it right back from her and his voice was so full of patience as if he were speaking with a six-year-old. "If you leave the seam like that, it will be torn apart in the first wind we catch. Look here, if you sew so close to the edge it'll fray out easily."

Hitomi leaned in to look what he meant. His skin smelled warm like sunshine.

"You don't have to stint with the yarn, we got more than enough." He showed her how to avoid the fraying out of the fabric with a few additional stitches.

She grunted and reached for the sail to work on another torn part, not looking at Van. She missed the briefest of smiles that flickered at the corners of his lips.

Hitomi pricked herself twice and bit down the curse so not to let Van know she wasn't exactly excelling at the task. He sewed with nimble fingers and somehow it angered her. It wasn't enough that he beat her in swordfight, he had to beat her in _sewing_ of all things as well and rub it right in her face.

"If you hold the sail like this, you won't hurt yourself that much."

She gritted her teeth. She felt as if she were back home and everyone would belittle her for each and every tiny mistake. Van couldn't know he had hit a soft spot with the first act of chivalry since Hitomi had entered the ship, probably the first act of chivalry in the last five years.

"Who died and made you king?"

Hitomi didn't know how but he brought out the petulant child in her. She didn't deny that it was there, she could be a spoiled brat if she wanted to but lately it had been more difficult to tame that part of her.

His eyes were hard when he glared at her but his voice lacked anger when he spoke. It was as if he wanted to lash out at her but something held him back. Maybe he did remember what she had done for him after all. "I was just trying to help. We need to set out after Merle as soon as possible."

Almost against her will some of her annoyance melted away. His worry would be adorable if he wasn't such a prick to her in the same breath. She swallowed her reply. She would be lenient toward him until they had found Merle. She could do that.

They worked in silence and the sun made the skin at the back of her neck burn. She wiped sweat off her forehead and glanced at Van. She could feel his restlessness as if it were her own.

He was working quickly, skilfully, and she knew he wasn't doing it for the first time. His mind however was elsewhere. His inner battle was clearly written across his face, in the deep wrinkle between his narrowed brows, in his clenched jaw and his hunched shoulders. And she saw no need to put him out of his misery. He wanted to say something and she could wait all day, watching him squirm.

It took him another 15 stitches to gather the courage to speak his mind. "You're a seer." She could almost hear the frown in his voice. "This is why you're so quick. This is why you could parry my attacks. You _knew_ my next step."

She blushed despite herself and avoided his piercing glare.

"You cheated." She could hear the definite hint of a smile in his voice, barely there, not even a whisper, hardly a breath. She wanted to see it. Looking up, she couldn't find it on his lips but in his eyes, faintly shimmering through mistrust and doubt. It was like a challenge.

Immediately, she felt the urge to justify herself. She prided herself thinking she always played fair, even in situations when she entertained a strong dislike toward her opponent. She did not cheat, at least not intentionally. "I don't do it voluntarily. It just happens. Sometimes I can't control it when..."

She stopped and bit her lip. He didn't believe her. She saw the scepticism curling around the corners of his mouth.

"I bet you'd use that _gift_ if you had it," she spat angrily and crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes defiant.

He looked at her. She saw reflections of crimson in his eyes. "I would. There is a reason you have that gift. I wouldn't waste it."

Hitomi snorted and looked away. Of course he didn't know the price for the gift of second sight. He didn't know that nightmares could be so real that she would still feel the heat of the fires on her skin when she was awake. He didn't know that the guilt for not doing anything about it made her sick.

"It doesn't work that way. You can't choose what you see." She spoke quietly and looked out at the sea. Waves curled softly in a breeze. If she could choose, she would choose not to see.

Van frowned and put the sail down to focus completely on her. "But you chose just now. You chose to see Merle."

"Yes, I chose to see Merle but I didn't choose what I saw." She looked at him and was disappointed to see confusion on his face although she hadn't expected anything else. "You don't understand."

"I do understand." He watched a breeze ruffle her hair. Her eyes were distant. "Why do you wish to choose?"

"Because I don't like what I see." The answer came easy to her. It was on her mind the whole time. She wished she could change what she saw. Sometimes she wished so hard that she woke up crying.

"It seemed so real. I even felt the sun." He stared at his hands.

"Yeah, sometimes I can't tell the difference." Hitomi shook her head softly and went back to work on the sail.

She had intended to ignore him but it was hard when he kept looking at her out of the corners of his eyes. It wasn't so much that she saw it. It was more a feeling that sent goose bumps all the way to her fingertips and red warmth to the tips of her ears. His hesitation drove her to the point where she wanted to grab his shirt and yell at him to just ask her. When he finally spoke she sighed in relief.

"Have you had that ability all your life?"

He was unusually interested. She was wary. "I can't remember. I probably did but I didn't have the visions until I was eight or so."

Hitomi frowned. She had difficulties believing that he was honestly interested in the story of her life.

"What did you see?"

"I..." she trailed off. She couldn't remember that she had ever told anyone. She couldn't remember anyone had ever asked her. Millerna was one of the few people who knew about her ability and she never talked with her about it.

She couldn't think of a reason why she should tell Van. It was absolutely beyond her why she did anyway. "I saw death. Pain and destruction. I thought they were just nightmares at first. And then they became true."

Despite the sunlight that burned her skin, she shuddered. The memory was vivid and hadn't lost any of its darkness and coldness and the feeling of sheer hopelessness it left in its wake. She dreaded the feeling. She would never get used to it.

"How do you do it?" His words pulled her out of her thoughts and the coldness left her body. She blinked.

"Umm, I concentrate, I guess." She tried to recall the feeling but the visions had long ago become a part of her so that it was hard to tell where she ended and they began. "But it's not just simply concentration. You have to let go of the present and you have to be aware of yourself or you'll get lost."

He was looking out at the sea, his brows furrowed. "Earlier you said you'd stopped reading the future. Why?"

Because it had killed her mother. Because she had promised her father she would never do it again. Because she was afraid of what she would see.

She couldn't tell him that.

"You wouldn't understand." She didn't look at him.

"Try me." His voice was suddenly hard with a challenging note. She felt his mood change like the wind abruptly working round. She knew they had both reached the end of their ability to express civility.

"No, because you only see your own advantage in it." She rested her elbows on her knees and leaned forward as if wanting to provoke him. "It's something to elevate you above the masses, is it not? Something to use against your enemies."

He turned the full force of his gaze on her. His eyes were blazing. "What is wrong with that? Why would you waste such a talent?"

"Why do you want to know?" She hesitated. She would lie if she said she wasn't enjoying his sudden interest in her but a very small, very rational part of her refused to believe he would do it without having an ulterior motive. She searched his face and then she knew. Her voice was cold when she spoke. "What do you want?"

She had him, she saw it in his eyes. An emotion broke free that he had held back since she had found Merle. "I want you to read my past! You must. With your help I will finally find out who I am!"

He was just like everyone else. It didn't surprise her. The amount of disappointment she felt, however, did.

"If I could, I would gladly give the second sight to you." She stood and left him on the spar with the black sail flapping around him like a cloak.

She was still angry when she met Millerna an hour later.

This entire ship was simply too small for her anger. She kept running into people and there was hardly a place where she could be alone for a while to cool off.

It wasn't like she had imagined it would be. She realized she had built her own illusions by listening to all the stories that their guests had told her about the life at sea. The freedom to go wherever you wanted, the freedom to do whatever you pleased. It was true, the men had more freedom here and yet they had less. They didn't follow the rules she was used to, yet they followed rules of their own. They were not bound to the mainland and to society but they were chained to the sea.

"Are you still mad at me?" Millerna's voice reached her through the fog of jumbled thoughts, guilt and anger.

Hitomi sighed and leaned against the wall, watching Millerna scrub one of the hallways under deck. The sight was unsettling to say the least but Millerna was carrying out her duty without complaint. "I am mad at many things."

Millerna bit her lip and set her mop down, wiping her forehead. Her hair was tamed in a messy bun at the back of her head. Hitomi knew the princess felt bad and regretted what she had done but she had to be put in her place every once in a while. Even Millerna should have her limits. "Hitomi..."

"Millerna, what do you expect me to do? Be all smiles and pretend you didn't expose me there?" She took a deep breath and swallowed words she would later regret. "You blurted out one of my biggest secrets like it meant nothing to you."

"But we had to help them." Millerna could be compassionate when she wanted to. And when she was, she didn't care about who stood in her way. "I felt like we owed them."

"Yes, _you_ felt like we owed them." Hitomi stepped up to Millerna, looked at her big regretful eyes and shook her head. They had argued enough. Millerna would understand it eventually.

"Is it that bad? I thought they all were not exactly conforming to the law so I was sure they wouldn't tell on you or anything."

"It's not that." Hitomi grabbed the second mop and started scrubbing the floor. "Well, it's not only that. Van came up to me and kind of demanded of me to tell him his past."

Millerna's mouth opened in a surprised oh and a glimmer entered her eyes that meant she had already jumped to a conclusion. "Oh, now I understand."

Hitomi mopped the floor with a little more vigor than would have been necessary. "You don't understand, I told you."

"I do." Millerna grinned and Hitomi blushed, knowing exactly what her friend thought. "Hotshot has found some interest in you. And he owes you. So, you kind of owe me now. Was he nice to you or something?"

"Actually, he was." The tips of her ears were still glowing red when she looked at Millerna. "It was unsettling."

The princess patted herself on the shoulder. "See, you will definitely thank me later."

"Millerna, sometimes you make it really hard for me not to hate you."

Dirty water splashed across the boards when Millerna lifted her mop out of the bucket. "You don't hate me. You can't hate. You just feel a strong dislike. I'm really sorry."

Hitomi sighed and leaned onto her broom. "How are you and your pretty boy anyway? Come on, tell me. I need some cheering up."

Millerna stopped mopping and quickly bit back the tears before Hitomi could see them. She turned around with a cheerful expression masking her pain. "It's disturbing to see that you are enjoying to watch your friends suffer. Go and ask pretty boy yourself."

* * *

Allen, Dryden and Anne Flint were still in the captain's cabin when the sun had long set. Anne sat back in her chair and propped her feet onto the table. From out of the shadows under her hat, she watched the two men.

"Kind of ironic, isn't it?" Allen stopped pacing and gave a humorless laugh. He had shed his vest and the white shirt beneath was rumpled. "Our fathers went in search for the same thing that we're out to get now."

"An' they all lost their lives 'cause o' it." There was no laughter in Anne's eyes when she spoke. "I'd say 't is rather sad."

"I agree." Dryden ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. There were bags under his eyes. "And it's _you_ who is out to get that treasure, Allen. Don't forget that."

The hoarse cries of seagulls sounded beyond the open window. Allen turned to face Dryden. There was surprise on his features and anger. "Don't you want to know what it is? What made them willing to give their lives?"

Dryden looked up at him and his eyes were sad. "Honestly, no. If it wasn't for you and your damn blackmail I'd be out there wooing Millerna like she deserves it."

"I almost forgot you gave up on my kind of lifestyle." Allen angrily pushed off the wall he had been leaning on and his boots clicked across the floorboards when he paced the room again. He didn't know in which other direction to channel his frustration. "Wasn't good enough for you anymore."

"Now, we're talking about that again!" Dryden flung his arms in the air in a desperate gesture. "I thought we'd settled that?"

Allen stood in the middle of the room, his eyes cold. "_You_ thought we'd settled that."

Dryden sighed and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't known it was such an important matter for Allen. He had expected some grumbling and a few foul words but this was just ridiculous. "What is your problem, Allen?"

"That you gave up everything for her!" the captain yelled and there was so much emotion in his voice that it startled him. He had never admitted how much it had hurt him to watch Dryden leave everything behind. He couldn't even say why.

"It's been five years!" Dryden replied incredulously. "I can't believe you haven't forgiven me. You're acting like a child, Allen. You're not my father so that you can tell me what to do. And even if you were, I wouldn't listen. It was my decision."

Allen's jaw clenched. It was hard to reign in the words that would hurt them both. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw Anne watching him with interest. Her keen eyes saw more than he wanted to reveal. He should have been more careful. He hadn't wanted her to see him so weak, so emotional.

Dryden sighed, leaning on his elbows, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was tired of justifying his decision. He was tired of Allen not accepting it. "I changed my priorities, is all."

"But…"

Anne interrupted him with a gruff sweep of her hand. "Schezar, stop blamin' him fer havin' found happiness beyond the sea."

Allen glared at her. She was in no position to interfere. This was between him and Dryden. "Would you give up your ship, your crew, your life? Would you give up everything you've earned, everything you've fought for for such a fickle emotion?"

"Allen, this is not about Anne, leave her out of it." Dryden looked sharply at the captain.

"Oh no, I get it now. This is about her as much as it is about you and me. This is all about what makes this way of living worth it." He leaned onto the table and looked her in the eyes. "So, would you?"

Anne held his gaze. She didn't need to think about the question, didn't need to think about her priorities. She knew the answer, had known it all along. She smiled a secretive smile.

"No."

One word that held so much more. Her beliefs. Her sacrifices. Her soul. Dryden saw it in her eyes but Allen was too blinded to notice.

"See?!" He directed a satisfied smirk at Dryden.

"Dryden an' I are different, Schezar." The smugness vanished when Anne spoke quietly, softly. "Ye canno compare us. Ye clin' te an idealistic dream. There's nothin' romantic or heroic 'bout a pirate's life. We steal, we murder, we starve, we're hunted. We've no rights. If a pirate's murdered in broad daylight nobody'll care. There'll be no trial."

Dryden didn't look up when he spoke. "It's a rough life with little rewards."

Anne nodded. "I know perfectly well why I chose this life. This is who I am. Methinks, ye're te only one who 'as problems with it. Ye're obsessed with that treasure 'cause ye think it'll give ye a reason. A destination." She leaned back in her chair and a mirthless smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Somethin' worth fightin' for."

Allen's fingers curled into a fist. Van's words. They hurt just like the first time he had heard them. His throat tightened and he couldn't speak. He didn't known what to reply because it was true.

He chose the coward's way out and left the room.

* * *

A/N: Look look, a new chapter :beams: And obviously, I took the scene where Hitomi tries to find Merle with her pendant from the series and changed it a teeny weeny bit, so I don't own it :P Just to be clear about that.

Thanks a shipload to my Pirate who sacrificed her precious time to help me out and give advice when I was not exactly satisfied with the chapter but couldn't for the life of me find out why. Thank you!

Other than that, thank you very very much to everyone who took the time to review! I really appreciate it...I know I take forever to update :sobs: So thanks a load!

Dariel


	11. Shore Leave

Chapter 11 – Shore Leave

* * *

Hitomi tossed and turned in her bed like the waves that crashed against the hull of the ship. She felt dizzy and she blamed the sea. She couldn't sleep and she blamed her nightmares. She hadn't had nightmares in a long time. It was probably the session that had awakened them.

The earth trembled and split beneath her feet. Flames licked over stones, trees, houses, bodies. The scent of smoldering ashes was still in her nose when she woke up, sweat covering her forehead, her neck, her back. Her nightgown clung to her body like a second skin.

She decided to go for a walk across the ship, breathe a bit of fresh air. Everything was better than sleeping. She remembered the nightmares from when she was a child. She had refused to sleep for days until her body was too exhausted to resist, until her mind was too tired to fight. She had screamed and cried until her father sat by her side and stayed until she fell in a restless sleep.

The hallways were empty when she slipped out of her room. It was so quiet she could hear the ship breathing.

She had intended to go on deck and see who was at the helm when she noticed that someone else was awake apart from her and the helmsman. There was a faint glow at the bottom of one of the doors she passed. It was a room she had never entered. It wasn't a cabin so she had assumed it was one of the many storerooms.

Driven by curiosity, she opened the door quietly. It took her a moment to discern everything in the dim light that filled the room but when she had her eyes widened. Surrounded by heaps of books and piles of documents, Van sat at the only table in the room, hunched over a stack of opened books. He had a quill in his right hand and seemed to be taking notes.

She watched him with her mouth open.

The floorboards creaked under her weight when she shifted her position and he looked up, startled. His eyes widened when he recognized her and a deep blush spread across the bridge of his nose and onto his cheeks.

They stared at each other in silence and Van's expression slowly changed from embarrassed to annoyed. He put the quill carefully down and folded his hands over the books.

Very slowly and very controlled he answered the question that was so clearly written all over her face. "Yes, I can indeed read and write. Was there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, I was just...I just couldn't sleep." She felt she had to apologize because she had obviously intruded his privacy if the look of utter mortification had been any indication. She was probably the last person he had wanted to know about his nightly habits. "And I didn't mean to insult you, really!" she added when he raised a brow.

He hadn't yet told her to leave so she took it as an invitation to step into the room. It smelled of yellowed paper and leather covers. "I was just a little surprised because, you know, I didn't expect you to...well..."

"Of course, you didn't." He turned back to the book in front of him and continued reading, clearly dismissing her.

Hitomi narrowed her eyes angrily. "Next time, just lock the door if you don't want anyone to find out about your spare time activities."

With a little satisfaction she noted that he blushed again and turned his head to hide it. If she hadn't been so angry, she would have thought it was cute. He judged her all the time and never apologized. If he thought she was a spoiled brat with no backbone, then she could believe him to be an illiterate jerk.

But she was curious now. She wondered what else he was hiding apart from the fact that he was obviously literate. He wasn't like the rest of the crew, she had realized. Something set him apart from the crew and it wasn't just his aloofness. Unlike the rest of Allen's men, he didn't seem to belong. He wasn't entirely integrated and he wasn't even making the slightest effort to do anything about it. Despite her attempts to tell herself that he was merely boring, she found him more and more fascinating. She didn't particularly like this development but she couldn't exactly help it either. She had found that the only way to stop herself from doing something stupid was to concentrate all her anger on him.

Hitomi shook the thoughts from her mind and finally looked around. She exhaled loudly, awed. This sort of library was impressive. For a pirate ship. There were so many that they piled on the shelves and in front of the shelves. There were books on geography, history, politics. Some novels. She recognized a few of the classics. Legends, fairy tales, travelers' notebooks.

Her fingertips traced the spines of worn books, their leathery covers rough against her skin. Someone had started to put some order into the literary chaos but had given up halfway through the second shelf.

"What are you doing?" Van looked up when she ruffled through a stack of blank sheets of papers on the table.

Hitomi shrugged and picked one sheet off the stack. "Since I can't sleep I might as well use the time and write a letter to my father."

He was probably worried sick and if they were really going to Freid, she had a chance to actually send the letter. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her being hurt. She would tell him that she was fine, that it had been her decision and not his fault, that he should stop blaming himself.

She reached for a second quill that lay on the table and proceeded to sit down. "Do you mind?"

Van snorted and turned to his books without answering. She knew he did mind and he knew she didn't care. They wordlessly agreed on a truce.

She sat down to his left so she could use as much of the little light the oil lamp provided. For the next hour the only noise was the constant creaking of the boards and the scratching of the quill on paper. Every once in a while Van would turn a page, the paper rustling.

It was a comfortable silence.

Eventually, Hitomi set down her quill and looked up, watching him read. His dark eyes hurried across the page, following the finger that was tracing the lines. His hand led the quill skillfully across the page, filling blank space with his neat and slanted handwriting. His handwriting surprised her. It seemed to flow easily from his wrist. It wasn't awkward or strained but almost sophisticated.

The fingers that were curled around the quill were stained with ink. She wondered why she hadn't noticed it before and realized that he wasn't wearing his gloves.

His hands were beautiful. Slim and long-fingered, yet strong. She remembered the feeling of his rough skin beneath her fingertips, the warmth of his palm when her fingers had curled into it.

"What are you reading?" she asked a little too loudly to distract herself from her own stray thoughts.

The table was cluttered with books, maps and documents of various kinds. "Old contracts." When he saw her questioning expression he rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to find out about the crest on my sword."

She leaned closer and tilted her head to the side to catch a glimpse of what he was reading. She could feel his warmth. "Oh, and?"

He shrugged and rubbed his temple, leaving a faint trace of ink on his skin. "It's difficult because the crest could represent anything, a country, a city, a guild, a family, something, anything. And there is no general collection of the crests of Gaia, unfortunately. They're only mentioned when someone signed some kind of more or less important contract. So, when whatever this crest belongs to is more or less unimportant there's a slim chances that I'll find anything at all."

She was surprised that he was talking that much, that he was talking with her at all. She tried not to show her surprise so he wouldn't retreat into his shell again. "How much have you read already?"

"A lot." He sighed and put his quill down. His fingers had moved along the same line six times. "Why can't you sleep?"

Hitomi sat back in her chair and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Defensive. "Why do you care?"

"I care because as soon as I know I'll find something to help you and you won't bother me any longer." His face didn't show any sign of humor. His eyes were dark and tired.

She was a little hurt that he thought she bothered him. She had thought they had just had somewhat of a civil conversation. Her arms involuntarily hugged her body and she stared at a spot on the floor. What would it hurt to tell him? It wouldn't change anything. The only way to keep the nightmares away was her completely forgoing her talent. Now that she had done a reading she had summoned her nightmares again.

She wanted to make him feel bad but knew she couldn't. It wasn't his fault. It had been her decision to help them find Merle. She couldn't blame him for the consequences of that decision even if she wanted to. "I have visions."

"When you sleep?" She nodded and he frowned. "What about? Merle?"

"No." She shook her head and stared at the letter in front of her. The pictures were vivid in her mind. The pictures were very much awake for being dreams. "They are visions of destruction. It's like the world is splitting open and bleeding to death. Not exactly something you would want to fall asleep to."

Van stared at her but didn't reply. She rubbed her arms. The expression in his eyes unnerved her. She couldn't place it. She was afraid it was the condemnation and disgust her mother had been faced with. She didn't know why she cared what he thought of her. "What about your dreams? If you tell me it might distract me from my nightmares and I could decide to try and go back to sleep."

He sighed in defeat and she knew she had won this battle. "They are more intense now, more frequent. It's almost like I can feel it now. I wake up and my skin prickles. They still don't make sense though."

His eyes were distant as if he was remembering something. The room shifted and she saw Van standing in a cave, facing a tall man. He had aqua-blue hair and the same red jade eyes as Van. She blinked and the image was gone. "Something happened in that cave. What did you see?"

"I..." He hesitated and his eyes locked with hers. He seemed to ponder his options and a look of disbelief briefly flashed across his face when he decided to tell her.

"There was someone in the cave." He saw in her eyes that she already knew. "I knew his name and I swear he recognized me."

She looked away, his stare unsettling her. "Is that why you're here? Why you can't sleep either?"

"You said you were going to try to go back to sleep." He turned a page, pretending to go back to reading.

"I said I might."

There was another silence when he tried to concentrate on the words on the page and she watched him. This time the silence was mutely screaming unspoken questions.

"Why are you so hell-bent on finding out about your past." She leaned forward. She was so close she could see a few small cuts along his jaw. He must've cut himself when shaving. "What if you don't like it? What if your family abandoned you? Would you like to know? Maybe there is a reason why you can't remember your past."

His heart jumped when he realized she had voiced his worries. Without knowing, she had spread out his greatest fears in front of him like a map to his soul. "I know it will let me rest. You don't know what it's like to not know about your past, to not know who you are. You don't know about the doubt and the restlessness."

"You shouldn't be so dependent on your past. It doesn't change who you are now." He looked at her. It was odd to hear his thoughts coming out of her mouth, spoken with her voice.

Suddenly, he remembered the events of the day. He remembered what he had done.

Van averted his eyes. Apologizing was one thing. Apologizing and looking into her bright green eyes was another. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to demand anything. I meant to ask."

The boards creaked when she stared. She hadn't expected that. It seemed to bother him more than she had thought. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I guess I could've been more mature."

His mouth relaxed and she almost thought he was going to smile. He turned back to his books, hiding his almost smiling mouth from her curious eyes.

She took a deep breath and her heart did a funny jolt in her chest. She could feel it all the way to the pit of her stomach. It even made her voice shake a little. "I've decided to ask the cards about your past once we've found Merle. If you still want to."

He looked up and finally allowed a grateful smile to part his lips. It was the first time he actually genuinely smiled at her and it changed his face entirely. It smoothed rough edges and softened his eyes. He looked younger, more his age. She greedily drank the image like someone dying of thirst. A feeling spread to her fingertips that was almost worth betraying her father, worth the nightmares she would have to endure. She didn't want to imagine what a full frontal brilliant smile would do to her mental health.

Shaking the ridiculous thoughts from her mind, she grabbed one of his many books and began reading.

"Thank you."

She waved a hand, not looking at him. Hearing that coming from him was one thing, seeing it in his eyes was something she wasn't yet ready to deal with. When he was yelling at her, he was easier to be around, less likable, less dangerous.

She waved the book at him. "Who taught you?"

"I can't remember." Van frowned. "I mean it must've been before I lost my memory because ever since I can remember I could read and write."

Hitomi pursed her lips. "I was wondering, does anybody on board know that you can read and write?"

"Merle knows." Van scratched the back of his neck and she missed the faint blush that spread across the bridge of his nose. "And Allen. He supported me with all the books."

A warm, heavy feeling of satisfaction settled in the pit of her stomach at hearing that she was one of the few who knew. She didn't know why.

* * *

Merle's hands shook. She bit her lip and tried to ignore her fear. All she needed was that figure, a few digits. She didn't need to take the map, nobody would notice that she had so much as looked at it. She only needed the coordinates.

She sighed. She couldn't believe she was risking her life for Allen's obsession. Again. But she wouldn't leave this place without those figures. She wouldn't risk so much in vain.

Her ears twitched. Someone was at the door but didn't enter. They were waiting, she could smell it. Her heart started to beat frantically. She needed those figures. The old man had to have put them somewhere. He was on his own ship, he wouldn't carry them around.

Her time was running out. The captain barely left his cabin but he had a routine of standing at the bow and looking out at the sea in the hour before the sun set. He had his eyes closed and his lips were moving but no sound passed them.

Merle looked towards the window and saw that the light of the day was dimming. The dying sun drenched the sky in her blood. A few minutes were all she had left. It had taken them five days to reach their destination, half a day lost to a storm. That night they were finally going to call in the port in Godashim. Offshore, they were waiting for the darkness. This was her last chance.

She had watched the captain. Merle didn't know why he waited for the sun to set. She didn't care. She just knew he wasn't in his room, the perfect time to search for the maps.

The door opened. She felt it more than she heard it. The hairs on her arms stood. It was too late to hide. She turned and inhaled sharply.

It was the silver twin.

Her gown swayed with her steps as she walked into the room, revealing leopard flecks on her thighs. Merle's heart hammered in her chest. She didn't know if she should be worried or relieved. The seer was probably the lesser of two evils but as relieved as Merle was about her not being the captain or anybody of his crew, she knew the seer was dangerous. There was something about the silver cat that her sister lacked. Something cold and unscrupulous in her eyes.

Naria smiled and walked to a shelf. Her slim fingers ran over the dusty spines of the books. Merle watched her every step but didn't move. She didn't know what to expect of the seer. Anything was possible. For all she knew the seer could snap her fingers and Dornkirk's thugs would come barging into the room.

"What you are looking for is here."

Merle's eyes widened when Naria reached into the folds of her gown and retrieved all the parts of the map. She hadn't expected that. Suspicious, Merle retreated. "Why are you doing that? Why are you helping me?"

"Call it a hunch." Naria shrugged and held out the third part of the map, the piece Merle had never laid eyes on before.

It was tempting. One look would be enough. A peek. Merle swallowed because she didn't know the price she would have to pay. Something was not right. "But your sister said you're not allowed to interfere."

"She did and she believes in it but I don't want to watch any longer." Naria stepped closer to Merle and Merle found she couldn't move. She was frozen to her spot. "I want to make my own decisions."

Merle's ears twitched. A small voice at the back of her mind told her to refuse the offer. "What about the balance she was talking about?"

"I am preserving the balance." Naria smiled again and Merle recognized what else was in her eyes: defiance. She did not accept her fate. "Same chances for both parties."

Merle wanted to look with every fiber of her being. She would be the one to tell Allen about the map. She would be the one to lead them to the treasure. She would finally be able to prove to them, to all of them, that she was more than just a cook. More than just a millstone around the neck. She would be able to prove that she was brave.

Yet she forced herself to stare the seer in the eyes. The words of the golden twin echoed in her ears. It was their duty to preserve the balance. She didn't want to imagine the consequences of the silver twin breaking that unwritten law, didn't want to imagine how the balance would restore itself. "What do you want in return?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Naria's lips. "Nothing. Just that you use the knowledge wisely."

"I don't believe you could act absolutely selfless. Nobody can." Merle shifted her weight ever so slightly. She didn't trust the seer. On humans she could smell fear and aggression and nervousness but with the seer, she couldn't smell anything. Merle couldn't read her and it made her nervous. "What is in it for you?"

"What would it matter?" Naria took yet another step toward Merle, her outstretched hand holding the map. "You get what you want and I get what I want."

Merle's eyes flickered to the map. A glimpse was enough to read the figure. Her heart skipped a beat. That was it. She finally knew the position of the island.

And the world had not collapsed. Yet, Merle dreaded the moment she would have to bear the consequences. She knew she would have to, she could feel it.

Naria rolled the parts of the map and hid it in the folds of her gown. Merle waited. What for she didn't know. There was a catch somewhere. There had to be. People always acted because of personal gain. Whatever they did, they did it because they gained something through it.

The people she had met on her way across the seas were all like that. Trading. Buying. Selling. Stealing. Giving. Loving. Nothing happened out of altruistic reasons. Nothing but parental love. But she had never had that, never experienced it. All she had was something akin to sibling love.

But could she trust that? Maybe she and Van were together so they wouldn't be alone.

Naria opened the door and woke Merle from her thoughts. She held the door open, waiting. The last rays of sunlight vanished when the sun set at the horizon. Merle stepped out of the room, dazed.

The silver twin glided past her. "We will see each other soon."

She was gone before Merle had a chance to ask more questions. She had no choice but to accept that she had become a pawn. She couldn't undo what she had seen, couldn't make herself forget. She would make the best of it.

There was one more thing for her to do now before they went ashore. She had been too much of a coward to have done it earlier. She had thought about it since she had seen him the first time but never found the guts to. She was afraid of what he would say, was afraid that he wouldn't say anything, afraid the he might have forgotten about her like Van had forgotten about him. During the last few days she had always left her spot by his room before he returned.

This time she would wait.

She stood in the shadows and waited. She heard his footsteps long before his shadow fell in the hallway. She hesitated. There was no turning back if she revealed herself now. She would have to live with the guilt. Every time she would look at Van it would nag at the back of her mind, reminding her of her betrayal.

But she had to do it. She needed to talk to him. She would regret it later if she didn't. in a way, she did it for Van, she told herself. It helped to ease the pain a little.

Merle could smell him before he stepped into her line of vision. His scent was familiar and sent a flood of memories through her mind. She remembered his laugh and his smile, remembered his voice when he told her stories before she went to bed, remembered the feeling when he stroked her hair after she had had a nightmare. She bit back the tears.

Her voice didn't waver when she called out to him. "Folken."

He stopped and waited for her to step into the light. His eyes widened briefly but he smoothly masked his expression of surprise. "Merle. You've grown."

His features and the way he carried himself, the way he stood sure of himself, were familiar. They reminded her of Van. But she was not so naïve as to cling to the illusion that she knew this man. He was a stranger to her. "It's been sixteen years, Folken. I thought you were dead."

She couldn't read his face. Something flickered in his eyes but she didn't know what it meant, she didn't know him well enough. She didn't know him at all.

"I didn't expect to find you when Dilandau said he had taken someone captive. It was quite a surprise."

His voice was so calm, so nonchalant, as if the last sixteen years had never passed.

There was so much she wanted to ask him. So much she wanted to say. She couldn't. Sixteen years had ripped an abyss between them that she couldn't surpass with a few words.

She stared at him, comparing him to the faded image she had kept so close to her heart. She could barely remember. It had been so long and the image had faded with every year, like the pages of a book wearing out, yellowing, the ink fading until it was indecipherable, until it vanished completely.

She couldn't believe he was standing in front of her now. When he had stepped into the captain's cabin a few days ago, she had thought he had been a figment of her imagination, a dream walking into her waking state, teasing her, taunting her. But he was real and she was confused and angry. She couldn't even cry.

He let the silence stretch between them, giving her a chance to speak up, before he continued. "I saw Van the day you were kidnapped."

Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. Had Van seen him too? Had he recognized him?

"He didn't seem to recognize me. I thought he would have claimed his place by now. He is old enough. Why didn't you..."

Merle interrupted him. "He doesn't remember."

There was that expression on his face again that she couldn't read. He merely inclined his head. "That explains a lot. And you didn't tell him." It was a statement, not a question.

"I didn't." She should have been used to the guilt after all these years. She wasn't. It nagged and whispered at the back of her mind. And it hurt. "You knew he was alive. You don't seem surprised."

Folken tapped his chest in a completely unsentimental manner. "I felt it. I knew I'd meet him in that cave."

She shook her head to clear her mind and one question fell from the jumble of her thoughts. "Folken, what are you doing here?"

He spread his arms wide. "This has been my home for the last sixteen years, Merle. It's ironic that the sea took everything we had and yet we allowed her to bind us to her."

The hallway was empty. She didn't know how long it would remain that way. She dared to take a step towards him. "Folken, these people kill. They are monsters. Have you seen that albino? What on Gaia happened to you?"

"And your friends don't kill?" He shook his head softly. "Dornkirk found me and I had nowhere else to go."

Her heart cried out. All these years he had been alive, separated from them, alone. While Merle and Van had had each other, Folken hadn't had anybody.

She extended her arm and offered her open palm. "Folken, come with me. We'll be together again. Please."

He looked at her hand and she could feel that his eyes were cold. "I can't. My place is here."

Merle narrowed her eyes, fighting back the tears. She had just found him and now she would lose him again, she could see it in his eyes. "Van needs you."

"He doesn't even remember me." His words were hollow and cold.

He was slipping away from her. She wiped her angry tears. "He will, eventually. What am I going to tell him? That you were a coward and chose to go into hiding instead of facing your fate?"

A sad smile touched the corners of his lips. "It was never mine."

Merle exhaled. She knew Folken had never believed the throne was his. He had told her once that he had seen Fanelia's future. If he were to become king, there would be only darkness. If Van were to become king, there would be light. Folken had sacrificed his future for his people. One could call him brave or a coward.

"What now?"

Folken looked at her. "As soon as Dornkirk finds out that you gave him the wrong coordinates he'll make you spill the right ones and then he'll probably get rid of you."

Her eyes widened and her heart raced. If Folken already knew, who else knew? They had been bound to find out that she had lied but not this soon. She had hoped to get a chance of escape in Godashim before they realized what she had done. "How do you know?"

"One of Dornkirk's seers seems to favor me." He shrugged but she knew there was more. He was covering an emotion with that shrug.

Merle frowned. It had to be the silver twin. But why was she interfering? The seers had told her they were not allowed to interfere, they were not allowed to take sides. What had changed? "So, you gonna watch him kill me?"

There was a silence before he answered and although she knew he wasn't the Folken she had once loved, she was appalled that he was considering her question. "I haven't decided yet."

Folken left her gaping after him. She watched him until he disappeared around a corner. She was seething. This was not going as planned. If everything had gone according to plan, he would have taken her hand and they would have left together. Now she had to find another way out. She had to find it soon because they were calling in the port in Godashim in a few hours. She stamped her foot angrily and wiped more tears.

* * *

It was raining in Godashim when they arrived. The waves were lapping at the docks and water spilled on the gangways. They had left the _Oscuridad_ offshore otherwise people would recognize the ship. Merle knew the situation all too well. The _Black Lady_ was a fine ship and as fast as the devil but people would recognize the black sails everywhere. Landing in a public port with that ship was like marching across the marketplace unarmed with bounty on your head. She had never understood Allen. She had asked him why he refused to replace the sails and he had replied it was out of sentimental reasons.

Merle's hands were bound behind her back. She stumbled behind Folken who had seized her arm and was dragging her across the street. He had covered his head with a hood so she couldn't see his face. People jostled her. There were so many. She stumbled along as they moved through the crowd.

Hoping it would be useful later, Merle tried to memorize the way they took into the city. She tried to memorize houses, streets and turns they passed, tried to memorize scents but the hard rain was making it almost impossible. Everything was washed away but the scent of fish guts that clung to the walls and the streets like tar.

She had no idea where they were headed. Folken hadn't said anything. Panic was pooling at the bottom of her stomach, cold and heavy, almost paralysing her. She fought it because she wouldn't be able to think if she let the panic take over. She knew her time was running out but there didn't seem to be a way out.

She cursed herself for she had hardly ever been this helpless. She acted like the women she despised. Spineless. She had to get away from them. She had to come up with a plan. Quick. Quick.

Suddenly, she was hit by a wave of warmth and the scent of beer was stronger than the scent of dead fish. They had stopped in front of a tavern and she was shoved unceremoniously through the door.

Inside it smelled even stronger of beer and the sweat of a dozen men. She heard Dornkirk's raspy voice. He was demanding something of the barkeeper. Merle wrinkled her nose but before she could inspect the tavern closer, Folken pulled her along and they entered a small room.

The room was dimly lit and too small. Apart from Folken and Dornkirk there were eight young men with them. They looked bored and talked quietly. The albino was missing. Not that she minded. She was hardly scared but that man scared her. It was the look in his crimson eyes that scared her because it said that he didn't need a reason to kill.

She heard quiet laughter and found two of the young men glancing at her. Merle shuddered. She didn't like the way they looked at her, she felt like meat. She had to get out of there. It was only a matter of time until they found out she had lied about the maps, that she had given them the wrong position.

There was a knock at the door and Dilandau entered. Merle gasped when she saw whom he dragged in. They were cat-children, mere kittens, a boy and a girl. They were crying, silent tears streamed down their cheeks.

Horror overcame her and she stared at Dornkirk who stepped up to her.

"Alright, I'll make this quick. I know the position you told us is wrong. I've suspected it for a while I just didn't have the means to confirm my suspicion." His wrinkled lips split into a smile. "Now you will tell us what was really written on the maps, in every detail. I won't allow any more time to be wasted."

He jerked his head and Dilandau unsheathed his sword. It glinted in the light.

"I don't care what you do to me." Merle stood proud but not fearless. The room was quiet, everybody watched her. "I won't tell you."

"Oh, I know you don't care what we do to you. Maybe you care about what we do to others." Dornkirk waved his hand almost carelessly and Dilandau held his sword to the cat-boy's neck. The little girl sobbed. "To innocent, little children."

Merle's eyes blazed, unshed tears glistening at the corners. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had expected them to threaten her but not in this way. "You wouldn't hurt them."

"Wouldn't I? Dilandau!" Merle stifled her scream with her hands when Dilandau struck the boy with the hilt of his sword.

He fell to the ground and blood poured from the laceration at his temple. The girl was beside him, sobbing harder. She didn't dare to look up.

Dilandau grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. He raised his hand again.

"No!" Merle bellowed. "Stop it!"

Dornkirk lifted his hand to indicate Dilandau to let them go. It didn't stop him from striking out again. The girl whimpered. Dornkirk lifted a brow. "Are you willing to cooperate this time?"

She stared at Folken, anger eating her up inside. How could he let this happen? How could he bear to stand and watch those children being beaten? How could he deal with the guilt?

This wasn't the Folken she had once known. This man was a stranger. Something broke inside her. "I need a quill and paper."

Her hand flew across the paper when she drew the labyrinth of islands she had seen on Allen's map. She was numb inside. She didn't care what happened to her after she had finished drawing the map.

Dornkirk took the map and inspected it. "Are you sure this time?"

The little cat-girl was breathing hard when Dilandau pressed the tip of his sword against her throat. Merle's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She saw herself there, sixteen years ago, full of fear.

Her voice was hollow when she spoke and she didn't recognize it. "I am. This is the correct position of the island."

Dornkirk nodded and stared at the map. He waved his hand dismissively. "Dilandau, get rid of them. All of them. We don't need Schezar to follow us around."

"No!" Merle howled and attempted to fling herself at the children but Folken caught her. She fought his grip but he held her tightly. She watched Dilandau roughly seize each child at the arms and drag them to the door. He waited for Folken to follow them.

Merle was breathing hard, feeling Folken's arms tighten around her ribcage with every breath. She knew what was going to happen and she didn't care. She had always looked up to Folken and after he had left them she had defended him against the people who called him a coward. She had believed in him. Seeing him not doing anything to save those children had killed something inside her.

Dilandau stepped out of the tavern but instead of following him, Folken closed the door and locked it. Merle's eyes widened when Folken dragged her away from the door. She spluttered when they passed a dark hallway and entered the kitchen. It was dirty and smelled of cold grease. She stumbled over pots that were piled on the floor.

Cold air and rain whipped into her face when Folken opened a back door and shoved her outside. The rope that tied her wrists suddenly loosened and she felt him breathe close to her ear. "You asked me if I was going to watch him kill you. I have decided."

Folken's face was hidden in shadows. The light from the kitchen illuminated his head from behind, casting his face in darkness. "What about...?"

She trailed off, tears choking her but he knew. "I'll take care of them, don't worry. Now go."

His hand rested at the small of her back and he shoved her softly into the night. Her feet touched the wet street and she ran. The echo of Dilandau's frustrated scream followed her.

* * *

The _Black Lady_ reached the coast of Freid in the late afternoon of the fifth day. The _Oscuridad_ had had a head start of at least one day but Allen was sure the route he had chosen had enabled the _Black Lady_ to catch up. They hadn't spotted the _Oscuridad_ but they were probably hiding somewhere as well, waiting for nightfall.

Allen's crew waited until the sun had taken every last bit of light with her beyond the horizon before they entered port in Godashim. A moonless sky and ongoing heavy rainfall enabled the _Black Lady_ to hide in the shadows of the night. Nobody would notice her and if all went according to plan, they would be long gone come dawn.

Pulleys squeaked when the dinghies were launched. Rain pounded on the tarpaulin that had covered the boats and soaked sails, ropes and the deck. Allen's men were ready for shore.

Hitomi stood sheltered in a doorway and watched Millerna who was arguing with Dryden, demanding to be taken along.

"Remember what happened last time when you left us here to rot?" Her arms were set akimbo, her shoulders squared. Hitomi knew that stance. She would fight to the finish.

Dryden sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. He looked tired. "We saw to it that this disaster won't be repeated."

Hitomi was distracted when she sensed Van approaching from the hallway behind her. Her eyes widened slightly at the foreign feeling. It was a warmth that slipped past the damp cold that had cloaked her body. The doorway was narrow and he moved wordlessly past her, his hand hot where he briefly touched her to push past.

"Van." She reached out and grasped his arm. He started and stared at her. "Van, you have to take me with you."

Up to that moment she had understood why Millerna and she were supposed to stay on the ship. She had been okay with it. But when he had come up beside her she had felt that something was going to happen if she didn't go with them. Something awful. She knew it. She felt it with every fibre of her being. She had to go with them.

"Hitomi, I can't." He stepped backwards into the rain but didn't shake her hand off. "You'll just be in the way. I can't protect you when I have to find Merle."

If the situation had been another, if Merle's life hadn't been at stake that very moment, she would have started at his words. But they were both too focused on Merle to realize what he had said.

Her hand slipped off his arm. A life slipped out of existence. "No, Van, you don't understand. I must come with you."

"No, Hitomi." Something he saw in her eyes unsettled him and he turned and left.

She followed him across the slippery deck, the rain beating down on her. She was soaked within seconds and a cold wind tore at her heavy clothes. She didn't feel it. Van had one foot lifted across the gunwale of the dinghy when she caught up with him. The air smelled of rain, tears and blood.

She almost panicked. She had to convince him to take her with him now. They didn't have time to quarrel any longer.

A thought struck her. She didn't particularly like the idea of selling herself like that but it was the only chance she had to diminish the guilt of not having done anything. This time she wouldn't simply watch lives being destroyed but she would do something about it. She would use her gift to save a life. Her train of thoughts shocked her because something had always stopped her from interfering. She stared at Van. Something had changed.

"How do you think you'll find her? Godashim is a big city and you have no idea where she is!" She had to yell over the pounding of the rain. The wind tore the words from her lips and shredded them.

He looked at her, wet strands of hair whipping into his face. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage. This wasn't about her not taking no for an answer. This wasn't about a spoiled brat having her own way. It was more than that. So much more.

Casting a glance across his shoulder, he met Allen's eyes. The captain nodded. They could all feel it.

Her hands were cold and wet when he helped her into the boat. She grasped the gunwale and their boat was launched. She saw Millerna flinging herself at the railing of the ship. If it hadn't been for Kio and Pyle, Millerna would have flung herself across the railing to follow them.

"You traitor!" she yelled across the roaring rain.

Hitomi averted her eyes and looked at the lights that lined the coast. Millerna didn't understand.

The slim hull of the dinghy cut through the black water. It seemed to be boiling, spray splashing in her face, mixing with the rain. She tasted salt. Like tears.

She pulled the oilskin jacket Van had given her tightly around her shivering form and looked out ahead. Ships swayed violently with the rough movements of the sea, their silhouettes peeling barely from the darkness when they passed them. She heard the splash when the oars surfaced and the commands that were yelled from the stern of the dinghy to the bow. She heard Merle's scream echo within her mind.

Her breathing hitched.

"Hitomi?"

Van was beside her. Worried. He could feel her trembling.

"We have to hurry."

She licked the salt off her lips, breathing hard. They weren't moving fast enough. She didn't know when it was going to happen. She never knew. She just knew it would happen soon. The possibility to undo one of her visions sent adrenaline pumping through her veins. She had never felt this way before. For the first time it wouldn't be the visions who controlled her but she would control them.

The dinghy hit the dock with a dull thud and even more water splashed into the boat. Gaddes was the first ashore. While he tied up the boats Hitomi climbed on the dock beside Van.

Underneath the oilskin jacket she was still shivering. She watched Gaddes scrambling off to find the Captain of the Port. Seagulls cried, fighting over leftovers on the wet streets, pulleys clinked in the storm, people were laughing, talking, arguing. Allen and Van faced her, speaking at the same time.

"Where is Merle?" "Where is the map?"

Both men looked at each other and something passed between them, something that widened the rift. After a moment of tense silence Van slightly inclined his head without breaking eye contact, like a wolf stubbornly refusing to submit to the alpha male. It was merely Allen's title and Van's respect for it that stopped him from picking a quarrel. They both felt it.

Hitomi narrowed her eyes. She knew what was expected of her. This time she obeyed without hesitation. It was more at stake than just her pride. Her oilskin jacket glistened wet in the light of the port lamps. She unclasped her necklace and held the pendent in front of her, closing her eyes. The noises around her died down, the only thing she heard was her own breathing and her blood roaring in her ears. And then, there was silence.

_A bar. An alley. __Glass broke. Wet dirt under her feet. _"_We should head south, Folken." __Claws scratching over a bricked wall. __"Our destiny is waiting for us." __A scream. _

She opened her eyes and felt the rain on her face. "They are not in the same place anymore."

Van's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak but Allen beat him to it. "Where is the map now?"

Hitomi closed her eyes again. Her heart did a jolt in her chest. "They are in a tavern called _Cape Maynard_. They've got the map. Merle is not with them. She is further north in the city. She's not alone."

"I'll go and find Merle." Van had already turned in the direction Hitomi had pointed out. Without waiting for orders or a permit by his captain, he broke into a run, the sound of his footsteps drowned by the rain.

Hitomi looked at Allen and squirmed. It was like an invisible bond was pulling her to Van. She couldn't stop it. The decision had been made. "I have to go with him. The bar is further down the docks. They're close to a church, I heard the bells."

Allen nodded, noticing the urgency in her voice. "Will you need any of my men to find Merle?"

Hitomi shook her head no. "There is only one man following Merle but I saw at least ten of them at the tavern. You'll need all your men, Cap'n."

"Alright. When you have found her, go back to the ship. We'll meet you there."

Hitomi followed Van, not looking back. He had already covered quite a distance down the street. His lanky form was outlined by the faint glow of oil lamps. The cobble stone was wet, puddles turning into runlets, washing the dirt off the streets. The sound of her splashing footsteps followed her down the street when she ran to catch up with him. It smelled awfully of fish.

When she had almost reached him, an image flashed in front of her eyes that sent her staggering. Something was going to happen. Soon. Their time was running out. Merle's time was running out.

She took a deep breath and dashed down the street. "Van, we have to hurry!" she yelled when she passed him by.

For a moment he was startled but her alarmed voice pulled him out of his stupor. He broke into a run and followed her. He didn't ask. He trusted her. The realization made her stumble but she caught herself quickly. He did that for Merle. He had no choice but to trust her.

The sound of their footsteps reverberated in an irregular pattern off the wet walls. When they turned off the main road that connected the dock, the ground was no longer paved and their feet sank into the mud with every step. Hitomi was concentrating on Merle, turning a corner whenever she felt her feelings shift. The alleys were getting more narrow, colder, dirtier. She felt Van close behind her.

Suddenly, an image hit her that sent her reeling backwards into Van. He caught her, his arms encircling her waist and securing her against his chest. Her eyes were wide but looked right through him when he grabbed her chin and turned her head to face him. Her chest was heaving and she was struggling against his grip.

"She's close," Hitomi whispered and her breath hitched.

She was following Merle along a dark alley that looked like one of the many they had passed. Her dress was torn at the seam and dirty. She had bared her teeth and there was fear in her eyes. Rain mixed with the tears on her cheeks.

The red-eyed intruder was in the shadows behind her. He lunged and Hitomi had Merle's blood on her hands. She screamed.

"Hitomi!"

She blinked and found Van peering down at her. His face was mere inches away and he was pressing his gloved hand against her mouth. Water dripped down his chin and his eyelashes were clumped with raindrops.

"Hitomi, what did you see?" His voice was urgent, yet soft. He pulled his hand away from her mouth.

"He's going to kill her." His eyes widened and she realized she was still leaning heavily on him, his arms around her. She felt his warmth through her cold, clammy clothes.

She pushed away from him and he let her. The alley seemed longer now, Merle even further away.

"Where is she?"

Hitomi looked up, the alley stretching in front of her. Her vision was blurred and she blinked the rain out of her eyes. "She's coming our way."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into an archway that led to a backyard. She stood with her back against the wall and pressed her hand over Van's cold lips to muffle his protest. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her hand. The splashing of the rain was roaring around them. The noise of approaching footsteps was barely audible. She felt Van suck in his breath. It was when a pink and orange blur suddenly passed by.

She wasn't thinking, she was merely acting on instinct when she felt Merle's persecutor approaching and with a scream she flung herself in the alley. With her shoulder she hit Dilandau in the ribs and they fell against the opposite wall. The force of the impact knocked the air out of him and Hitomi to the ground.

She scrambled to her feet, the ground slimy and wet beneath her fingertips. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, smearing dirt across her skin that instantly mixed with the rain. Van was now pinning Dilandau against the wall, having taken Hitomi's place when she had fallen down. Beyond his shoulder she spotted Merle who had stopped at the end of the alley.

Van and Dilandau stared at each other for a moment and then Dilandau punched Van hard in his unprotected stomach. He stumbled backwards but drew his sword in the same breath to parry Dilandau's attack. Their swords collided above his head. Dilandau leaned with all his strength into his sword and forced Van to the ground.

Hitomi retreated. With one fluid motion Van withdrew his sword and rolled over his shoulder across the muddy ground. Dilandau lost his balance and growled angrily. Van was on his feet again and lunged at Dilandau, forcing him to retreat against the wall.

"Hitomi!" he yelled over the rain and leaned against Dilandau. "See if Merle is okay! And take her away from here!"

She nodded and hurried past Van, slipping twice on the wet ground. The echo of a million raindrops was roaring in her ears. Dilandau's frustrated scream almost blended with the noise.

Merle was on her knees, completely drenched and breathing hard. Her legs were scratched, her face dirty.

"You found me!" she howled and flung herself at Hitomi. Heavy sobs shook her body. "I knew you would find me."

Hitomi held her and turned to look over her shoulder when she heard swords clash. Dilandau had shoved Van away and was lunging after him. Van ducked and Dilandau's sword hit the wall with a grinding noise, sending sparks into the night.

"Merle, we have to go." Hitomi tried to pull her to her feet.

The cat-woman resisted Hitomi's attempt to lift her off the ground. "No, not without Van!"

Hitomi looked up, transfixed by the swordfight. She had seen show fights, skilled knights demonstrating their skill in a friendly match. A life had never been at stake in those fights. She saw the difference to Van and Dilandau, saw the aggression and determination behind each thrust. Their shoulders were heaving with every heavy breath.

She couldn't tell if either of them was dominating the fight. They seemed to be equal and her insides turned into a knot because she wasn't sure if Van would come out ahead.

He had forced Dilandau to retreat significantly with a series of violent blows when he suddenly slipped on the mud. Dilandau reacted instantly and used Van's moment of distraction to knock the sword out of his hands. It fell to the ground further away from him.

Dilandau kicked out his feet and hit Van's ankles, bringing him to the ground with a grunt. Van rolled on his stomach and scrambled to his feet, bringing a good distance between himself and Dilandau. Dilandau grinned, swinging his sword in a wide arch. Van spotted his sword in the dirt behind Dilandau. He pondered his chances and stepped determinedly towards Dilandau.

The albino raised his sword high above his head and taking a step forward cut the air from top to bottom. Van swiftly stepped out of the way and grabbing the hilt of Dilandau's sword when it came down with his right hand, he whirled around and hit Dilandau's ear with his left elbow.

The albino howled. Van quickly turned to pick up his sword but Dilandau caught Van's ankle with his foot and sent him to the ground. Scrambling forward on his knees, Van reached his sword. His fingers closed around the hilt and he lifted his arm in time to parry an attack.

Hitomi pulled on Merle's arm but the cat-woman didn't budge. Her other hand was braced on the ground, the fingers curled into the mud.

Van was still on his back and he kicked out his legs, bringing Dilandau to the ground. He stood as the albino fell and the tip of his sword touched the ground when he cut through the air bottom to top. Dilandau howled in pain and rolled over, holding his cheek. Blood seeped out from between his fingers.

"You..."

Voices echoed along the alley, preceding their owners. Two, maybe three of them. Van turned. The shadows at the end of the alley were moving, voices penetrating the darkness. Maybe five.

"Dilandau!"

Van's eyes widened. He stepped over Dilandau who still lay whimpering on the ground and ran toward Merle and Hitomi. When he had reached them, he grabbed Merle's hand and dragged her along. The noise of their own footsteps drowned that of their persecutors.

"Van..." Hitomi was close behind him. He could hear her breathing.

"We have to hurry. They're more than I can take." He turned sharply into another alley and Merle fell over a pile of boxes. He pulled her to her feet and grabbed her shoulders. "Merle, you okay?"

She wiped a few more tears and nodded. Van touched her cheek briefly before he lifted her to her feet and left streaks of dirt on her face. He was covered in mud, his hands, his clothes, his hair and face but his eyes were bright when the corners of his mouth lifted in the briefest of smiles.

Hitomi led them through narrow alleys towards the harbor. Water splashed around their feet. Merle couldn't remember this way. She had entered the city on another street. And it was hard deciphering all the scents because the rain washed them away, blended them and made it difficult to recognize them.

"We're almost there."

The fish smell was getting stronger. The harbor was close. Merle wrinkled her nose, her ears twitched and with a strong leap she flung herself at Hitomi, bringing them both to the ground.

"What the -- "

Merle quickly pressed her hand over Hitomi's mouth, muffling her sounds of protest. With the index finger of her other hand to her own lips she indicated her to be quiet. Van raised his brows at Merle who sat on Hitomi's back and then he heard the voices.

"The _Black Lady_ was found in the harbor!"

Van's eyes widened and he stepped over Merle and Hitomi and pressed himself against the wall. He glanced quickly around the corner, making out three guards. They stood in the middle of an intersection. One of them seemed slightly out of breath.

"Has Allen Schezar been captured?"

"Yes, he was taken prisoner by the royal guards."

* * *

A/N: Haha, you didn't expect an update that soon, eh?! Surprise surprise :P Don't ask me what happened though. I guess it's my apology for taking so long for the next update :winks:

Thanks a lot to Kahoko, Sereneblaze, Kathya, CrossXFire, justanobject, f-zelda, Sagitarious Devil, Kintora, mysisterisasquijum, wind-master-redmoon and Illico for reviewing!

Dariel


	12. Eleventh Hour

Previously on Beyond....

Merle was kidnapped by Dilandau after she had burned the map. On board the Oscuridad she finds the third piece of the map with Naria's help and then meets Folken. She knows who he is, tells him that Van doesn't remember him, tries to convince him to escape from the ship with her. He is not interested. They make port in Godashim, the city Merle intentionally pointed out as the destination marked on the map although she knows it's the wrong place. Folken helps Merle to escape but Dilandau is hot on her heels when Hitomi and Van find her. Hitomi had had a vision, seeing that Dilandau would kill Merle. Van is able to fight Dilandau off but when they return to the harbor they find out that Allen got arrested....

* * *

Chapter 12 - Eleventh Hour

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Van sighed. He had hoped he would be able to take his leave before Hitomi woke up. He didn't feel like explaining. Didn't feel like arguing. Because that was how it always ended with her.

From the corner of his eye he saw he saw her stir on the bed. The sheets were twisted around her legs and she scrambled free, her eyes locked with his in the mirror he was facing.

After they had found out that Allen had been captured, they had rented a room in an inn in the city. Merle had been so exhausted that she had fallen asleep the moment she hit the mattress. At first he had wanted to find out what had happened to Allen but Hitomi argued with him until he gave up. She had been right though. The streets had been packed with royal guards and he would have only succeeded in raising suspicion when inquiring about Allen at two in the morning.

Hitomi sat on the bed with the sheets pooled in her lap, wearing yesterday's clothes. She watched Van who continued to fumble with his necktie. She had no idea what he had been up to while she had been asleep. "We got Reeden thrown into gaol early this morning. Now I'm going to bail him out and see if I can find Allen and the rest of the crew while I'm at it."

They had found Reeden hiding in the dumpsters behind the bar where Allen had been caught. Supposedly, he was the only one of the crew apart from Dryden who had not been caught.

Hitomi rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "How did you get Reeden in gaol?"

Van snorted. "Now that's not exactly difficult. He played the drunkard, started a fight in a bar at the harbor and got arrested. We just needed an excuse to get in there and talk to Allen. The place is probably packed with guards."

His eyes darted to her when she looked at Merle who was still dead asleep and moved to the edge of the bed. She attempted to rise and Van turned around to face her. "And no, you're staying here. I saw pictures of you out there. There's a reward for anyone who helps to find you. Your father has them searching for you all over the continent."

Instead of responding, she just sat there. Her hair was sticking up in various directions and there was a crease from the pillow on her cheek. She still seemed tired and somewhat dazed. She looked vulnerable, just like last night when he had watched her and Merle sleep. It touched something inside of him that he didn't want to associate with her.

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him, frowning. Her voice was thick with sleep when she spoke. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"I have to come across halfway decent so they won't throw me in with Allen the moment they spot me." Van looked down at himself and smoothed the lapels of his waistcoat. It matched the dark breeches he wore and the leather boots. He immensely disliked the silver clasp that adorned the boots and the frilly sleeves of his white dress-shirt but it was the best he could have done given the lack of time. There had been no time to be vain.

She looked him up and down and he suddenly felt irrationally self-conscious. His fingers tightened around the seam of his waistcoat and heat crawled up the back of his neck. He couldn't control it and it irritated him.

Amusement sparkled in her eyes and her lips curled. "Where did you get the clothes?"

He raised an eyebrow as if he couldn't believe she was that clueless. "Well, I surely didn't buy them."

He noted with some satisfaction that she flushed. Probably for coming across a little naïve. Because no matter how hard she tried to prove otherwise, she was just that: naïve. She didn't have the slightest clue about his world although she would disagree. She thought she knew about the life beyond the walls of daddy's house, thought she knew what it was like to actually have to earn your money. She didn't know anything but stories told by fools.

Her ignorance annoyed him. And yet, at some point in time, he had stopped minding that she was around.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned back around to face the mirror and worked on his necktie. He had hardly slept that night, spending hours trying to think of a way to get Allen out of prison and then convincing Reeden to agree with the plan of getting him arrested. Just for the occasion they had also slipped out to find themselves suitable clothes. They had easily passed as a pair of young aristocrats who had had one beer too many.

It had definitely been better than sleeping. Lately, sleep didn't come easy anymore. He tried to go without it as long as possible, tried to wear out his body so he would be too exhausted to dream. But as soon as he closed his eyes the dreams would haunt him. Not too long ago he had welcomed them in hopes to figure out his past. They had intensified, waking so many emotions within him, emotions he couldn't place, feelings he couldn't name. He would be able to bear them if they made sense but the pieces of the puzzle refused to fit together.

All the dreams did was torture him. And he was absolutely helpless, couldn't control them, couldn't control his reactions. There had been nights when he woke from his own screaming. He had stopped sleeping in his hammock then with too many ears around to hear, too many eyes to see, too many mouths to ask questions he didn't want to answer.

He was tired and he was appalled at how fast he was getting used to the feeling, to the numbness. He was glad that there was something to occupy his mind with, distract his mind from his need to sleep.

Van grunted as he struggled with the tie. He stopped when he caught Hitomi's eyes. They were laughing at him. "What? I swear so much as a quirk of your mouth and I'll cut your throat."

"I didn't say anything." She bit her lip and shrugged.

There was something disarming about the gesture. Van felt himself soften against his will.

Despite his glare, she smiled crookedly at him. She rose from her position on the bed and walked over to him, taking the tie from his incapable fingers. She brushed the skin at his neck and he was glad his arms were covered, hiding the goose bumps her touch had caused.

"You look..." She trailed off and raised her eyes. Something constricted in his chest. Her eyes seemed to darken when she looked at him in a way she had never looked at him before. He felt naked and his skin burned.

He cleared his throat and she blinked, finishing her work quickly. Her cheeks were flushed. "You look presentable."

Van exhaled and rolled his eyes. She was just like everybody else. "A bit of soap and a suit turn every scoundrel into a gentleman. It's not a big deal, it's superficial nonsense."

A heartbeat passed and when she didn't make a move to retreat he stepped away from her. There was something in the silence between them to which he felt his traitorous body react. It was time he left.

He checked his appearance in the mirror one more time and grabbed his sword that lay on a small stool. He pushed it into Hitomi's arms without looking at her directly. "You take care of that and of Merle."

He nodded toward the bed where Merle was curled into the sheets. A small smile flitted across his lips. He had never felt such relief before at seeing her peacefully sleeping. He had never been so close to losing her. It was his worst nightmare come true and he could still feel traces of fear and pain in his system. Like an afterimage burned into his retina.

He looked back at Hitomi, trying to read her, trying to understand what was driving her, and failed. "If either Merle or the sword have so much as a scratch at my return, you'll be sorry."

Her brows narrowed even more but nevertheless she tightened her grip on the sword. "Thank you for the confidence."

Ignoring her, he turned to the door. He had to leave the room. His palms were sweating and he was afraid it was because of her. "I'll be back soon. And please, do not show your face to anyone. We've got enough trouble as it is." He sighed and looked at her. "Just this time, listen to me."

She glared and hugged his sword belt tighter to her chest. "What about you? Isn't there a bounty on your head as well for being a member of Allen's crew?"

He shrugged. "I'm not as striking as Allen. The people here don't know I'm a member of his crew. I might just pass without raising any suspicion."

Van was halfway out the door when she hurled a question at him that threw him off balance, like a strong wave that hit the hull of the ship and sent him stumbling across the deck. "Why do you trust me to stay here and not go and sell you out?"

His heart skipped a beat. She was right. He trusted her with Merle and his sword without even thinking about it. As if it were normal. His mind whirled.

The knuckles of his fingers whitened as he gripped the door frame. It unsettled him that he couldn't answer her question. Couldn't answer it in a way he could accept.

"You wanna go back to daddy and marry that fiancé of yours? Be my guest."

The door slammed shut behind him and he exhaled deeply. It wasn't like he had a choice. He had to trust her with Merle so he could check on Allen. The thought calmed his racing heart.

He didn't know why the thought of trusting her scared the crap out of him. Or maybe he just didn't want to know why. Either way, he had no time to deal with that now. Allen and the crew were more important at the moment than what was going on between him and Hitomi.

Van stepped out of the inn and entered the bustle on the streets of Godashim. It was almost noon and the city was packed. It had stopped raining but the ground was still rain-sodden. Horses stomped past him, pulling carriages and splattering mud on the pants and skirts of people walking by.

People jostled past him on their way to the marketplace to buy and sell and most of all to haggle. He had been to Godashim before. It was like any other capital he had been to:, crowded, loud and dirty. Van didn't like the big cities. He preferred solitude over people jostling him with every step he took, preferred silence over the noises of the streets.

He kept pushing his way through the throng toward the marketplace. From there he would go to the palace where he would find the gaol.

He caught people looking at him, mostly women. They were appraising him, looking him over from head to toe, finding him worthy of their attention and smiling coquettishly at him. He ignored them. He wanted to sneer at them because they deserved it but he didn't want to draw too much attention. He despised the superficiality of these people. If he had been covered in dirt with his clothes torn like last night, they wouldn't have spared him a second glance. If he were still a penniless beggar like sixteen years ago, they would have scorned him. But he had washed and shaved and his clothes smelled of money. What a difference it made.

It made him angry. Appearances were deceiving and told nothing of the person wearing them. He could respond to their smiles, he could lure them in, whisper false promises in their ears and steal their jewellery in the same breath without them noticing.

He had learned not to judge too quickly, yet he caught himself doing it more often than he wanted to admit and he usually paid for it. He had his own prejudices, especially towards the kind of women who were batting their eyelashes just now. Not that Hitomi was batting her eyelashes at him or that he would prefer it if she did, but he had judged her the moment he had known who she was. He had underestimated her but somehow he was unwilling to give her a second chance. He was afraid she would completely prove him wrong.

Ruffling his hair impatiently, Van pushed all thoughts of her from his mind. This was the wrong time to dwell on that. He would not let her haunt him.

He was almost relieved to find the marketplace packed when he got there. It distracted his thoughts.

People gathered in the narrow aisles between the vendors' booths, haggling, laughing, arguing. He shoved his way through the crowd but stopped when he saw that the gallows were just being erected. Fascinated, a group of children watched as the wooden construction took shape. The noise of the hammering was loud even above the buzz of the marketplace.

An elderly woman stood with the children and she caught his questioning eye. "Allen Schezar was caught last night. Have you heard about it?"

Van nodded and pointed at the gallows. "They're already erecting it for him?"

She called on the children who had started to climb the constructionbefore she answered Van. "The execution is set for tonight at sunset."

Van's eyes widened. He had assumed the gallows were set up for Allen and the crew but it was a bit unusual to erect them when the captain had only been arrested the day before. "But I thought they would wait another day or two for the trial..."

She interrupted him with a quick laugh. "Well, usually the royal army is not so lucky as to catch Allen Schezar. They want to make sure he doesn't escape so they're speeding up the process." Her voice lowered to a whisper although there was too much noise for anyone to eavesdrop on them anyway. "They won't even deliver him to Asturia although he committed most of his crimes in Asturian waters. I heard that the commodore Shephard is here by the order of King Aston of Asturia to supervise the execution."

Van deflated. This was bad news. This was entirely too soon. He had been sure he would have at least two days until the execution. Two days to find a way to get Allen out of prison. And to his chagrin, Shephard was in Godashim as well. "How could the commodore be here so soon?"

"I heard that he was on his way to find the Princess Millerna of Asturia who had been kidnapped by Schezar. The commodore had followed Schezar all the way here to Godashim."

Van stared. He had not. That liar. The commodore had been lucky to be in the same place as Allen otherwise he would have never caught the captain. It had been a mere coincidence. Shephard had been in the right place at the right time and now he was pretending it had all been his doing. He had followed Schezar all the time, of course. Shephard hadn't had a clue about Allen's whereabouts since they had attacked Shephard's ship a month ago.

If Allen knew about that, he would throw a fit. And Hitomi was going to marry that idiot? He would not survive a week as her husband. Van gave a laugh. The woman stared at him but he took off immediately.

It still surprised him that despite his frequent head-butting with the captain and his obvious disagreement with most of Allen's decisions, there was no doubt about helping Allen out. He respected Allen. And he owed Allen. Allen had taken him in, taught him swordsmanship, given him books. He hated to admit it but the life he had, he owed to Allen.

He found the palace easily. Barely able to suppress a triumphant smirk, he walked past the guards and entered the gaol. Shephard's guards merely spared him a glance. To them he was just a spoiled aristocrat, bailing out his equally spoiled friend. And as he had expected, the gaoler accepted his lie with a little bribe.

The soles of his boots clicked across wet stones as he descended the stairs to the cells. The air was humid and smelled of mould and urine. The hallway at the bottom of the stairs was only dimly lit by a few torches. Shadows danced across the slimy walls.

He called into the twilight. "Reeden?"

The response was immediate. Clothes rustled. "Van, over here."

Reeden was alone in the cell. Van peered into the shadows around him but could only make out one more person, someone across the hallway, huddled on the ground, snoring. Nevertheless Van lowered his voice to a whisper. "Have you found where they put them?"

Reeden linked his arms through the bars and pointed down the hallway. "They're somewhere down there. The Cap'n's not in a good mood. Could hear it all the way over here."

Van nodded and walked into the shadows until he heard the voices. Gaddes had his arms draped lazily across the bars and grinned at Van when he recognized him. "Knew we could count on you."

"Gaddes, are you alright? Is Allen with you?"

Gaddes jerked his head toward the darkness beyond his shoulder. The light from the torches wasn't strong enough to lit the entire cell. Van could barely make out three more people. "Yeah, he's pouting in the corner over there. He still can't believe he was stupid enough to get himself caught."

"Who else is in there with you?"

Chains clinked behind him and he turned to face Orth who gripped the bars with both hands. "Better ask who isn't."

He spotted a few more familiar faces behind the bars. Those crew members whose chains were long enough came to the doors of their cells. "I hope you made sure Merle and the Lady Hitomi are safe. Were they with you?"

Van turned to face Gaddes again and nodded. "Yes. They're safe, we don't have to worry about them." I hope, he added silently. "We found Reeden as well but where are Dryden and Millerna?"

Gaddes waved his hand lazily. "Well, Millerna is probably with Duke Chid and Dryden was smart enough to stay out of the hazzle."

In the darkness, Allen grunted. "That traitor. Wait until I get my hands on him. He should be in here with us!"

Gaddes shrugged. "Dryden had a reputation to lose. If he had been caught with us, his work of the last five years would have been for nothing."

Van rested his back against Orth's cell and shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat. He wasn't able to smother his yawn. "What happened in the tavern?"

"It was a trap." Gaddes sighed and ran a dirty hand through his hair. "At least, it felt like one. I swear they knew we were coming just like last time. I don't know how but they knew. Cap'n had us check the place but we couldn't find them anywhere. We thought it was safe to go in, disguised. The captain of the Oscuridad was at the bar, waiting for us. Don't know where he suddenly came from. He told Allen his journey would end there. Then all hell broke loose.

"Guards stormed in and arrested us. Shortly afterwards we were joined by the crew we'd left to guard the ship. They had found the Black Lady when the rain eased up. "We've been here ever since."

Van tapped his foot on the ground. "You know that your execution is set for tonight at sunset?"

Chains rattled and a murmur rippled through the goal. Gaddes scratched his stubbled chin thoughtfully. "That doesn't leave us too much time then. I was hoping we could scheme a little more."

Van could feel the coldness of the stones creep through the soles of his boots. He looked up at Gaddes, surprised. "You've got a plan already?"

"We're hoping that Millerna will outsmart them all."

Van exhaled loudly into the silence. He was thankful that he didn't have to come up with an ingenious idea himself but this was ridiculous. Gaddes had to be shitting him. "You are counting on the princess to get you out of here? Are you suicidal?"

Gaddes waved his hands and the shackles at his ankles rattled when he moved along the cell. However, it was Allen who spoke as he walked out of the twilight. "No, look, you will go to her and make her an offer that she won't be able to turn down."

"With all due respect, Allen, supposing she is willing to cooperate, I can't just waltz into the palace." The plan did not sit well with Van. He didn't feel good about leaving Allen's fate in the hands of a greedy, self-absorbed princess. He didn't trust her at all. So why did Allen?

"Look at your pretty clothes." The shadows flitted from Allen's face as a sparkle entered his eyes and the corners of his lips tipped up in a wide grin. "You'll find a way, I'm sure."

Van was still reluctant and sceptic when Allen filled him in on the details of his plan. It seemed like a good idea if it weren't for the fact that the princess was strongly involved.

He bailed Reeden out before leaving. When they stepped into the street, the bright sunlight blinded them. In the southern latitudes the sun stood higher in the sky at noon and he blinked to adjust to the light.

Dryden loitered by the main gate. Van spotted him when they left the gaol grounds. It surprised him. He had assumed Dryden wouldn't want to be involved with Allen's incarceration at all. A few words in exchange with Reeden, and his crew mate was already heading down the street to the inn where he would wait with the girls.

An idea formed in Van's head as he watched Dryden approach. Dryden wouldn't like it but it was their best chance.

"Van, I'm glad to find I'm not the only one left to get Allen out of prison," Dryden greeted him cheerfully and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Nice attire."

Van raised a brow and Dryden fell in step beside him. "How did you escape? I thought you had gone with Allen to the tavern."

Dryden was cheerful and Van wondered what he had been up to this morning. Dryden didn't need to hide, that was for sure. He was a merchant and he probably knew people here in Godashim. He could have left with the princess and let Allen deal with his own fate. Nothing bound him to the captain. A pirate's word, at most, was worthless.

And yet there was something that made Dryden stay despite the temptation of freedom. What would make him risk his good reputation for Allen's safety? Could that treasure be worth it? Van couldn't imagine any material thing that would make him risk his life and yet Allen and Dryden were willing to give everything they had.

"I was there, that's right. We had a little disagreement about the situation though. Allen wanted to go in, I didn't. So he went in and I didn't." Dryden shrugged. "I sniffed around a bit because I expected to find them hiding in one of the alleys. Well, I heard the noise when the guards stormed into the tavern and I thought it would be wiser to stay hidden instead of accompanying Allen to gaol."

Dryden was about to turn into the street that would lead back to the marketplace when he realized that Van was walking towards the palace. His voice was weary when he spoke. "What?"

Van raised his eyes up at the palace. It looked more like a fortress. Even though the sun was shining high in the sky, the walls remained dark, forever cast in shadows. They were sturdy and lacked any kind of the unnecessary decoration that he had seen on many other palaces. Because there was no sparkle or smiling angel to be seen anywhere, it seemed cold and hostile. These walls were made to hold a roof and to keep out enemies, not to impress visitors. The building itself was simple, satisfying the basic need of protection instead of flaunting pomp and abundance.

The way it was built seemed familiar and he remembered that it wasn't the first time he felt it when looking at the palace. He felt his mind slipping and his eyelids growing heavier and shook his head.

"Allen has a plan." Van turned back around to face Dryden. He looked sceptical. For a reason. "He wants me to persuade princess Millerna to get him out of prison. And I realized that the perfect way to get the chance to talk to her just presented itself."

"That is quite a genius idea I have to admit." Dryden took a few slow steps away from Van, inclining his head in the general direction of the marketplace, hoping to convey his message and distract Van from his own mad plan. "However, I don't think I'll like what you have in mind. I was thinking more along the lines of smoke and explosions to get the Cap'n out. I was hoping we could discuss it over a beer."

Van hurried to catch up with Dryden who had turned around and was marching with long strides further away from the palace. He wasn't completely convinced of Allen's plan but it was their best and only chance, considering the little time they had.

"Dryden, wait!" He grabbed Dryden's arm and forced him to stop. "Why are you running away? This is our best chance. You have a clean slate by now, you are a merchant widely known and respected. And you are her fiancé."

Dryden sighed and rubbed his chin. "See, this is a big part of the problem. I can't just announce to the whole world that I'm her fiancé. If her father finds out, he'll have my head."

"You're afraid." There was definite amusement in Van's voice and Dryden ground his teeth.

"Of course, I'm afraid." He ruffled his hair and groaned in frustration. "He's King Aston and my father-in-law to be, I'm entitled to some fear."

They stepped out of the way when a cart rumbled past them. The hooves of the horses clicked over the cobble stones. Van stepped in and blocked Dryden's way when he attempted to walk away. "Fine then, come up with a better plan then to get Allen and the crew out before they're hanged at sunset today."

Dryden threw his hands up in the air. "Oh, that idiot should have listened to me."

* * *

Millerna wondered what else was going to happen this day. Twelve hours ago, she had been aboard the _Black Lady_, arguing with Dryden, cursing Hitomi and moping about being left behind. Now, twelve hours later, she sat in a modestly furnished room in the palace of Godashim, waiting for the Duke of Freid and almost the entire crew of the _Black Lady_ had been arrested, including Allen Schezar.

It gave her a little bit of satisfaction to know that he sat chained in the darkness of the gaol, waiting for his execution. Served him right. She hoped it would cure him of his high and mighty attitude.

She sighed. It seemed her little adventure had come to an end after all. Commodore Shephard would be more than willing to bring her back to her father and receive all the praise he did not deserve. She could almost see his self-satisfied little smile and the look in his eyes that clearly said that he could not possibly believe his inhumane luck.

She did not know how the Commodore had managed to turn up at the right place at the right time. Life was just that unfair. She would have to make the best of it.

There was a commotion at the door and she straightened in her chair. Her hands were folded in her lap and her feet crossed at her ankles. She knew how to behave in a Duke's palace.

The door opened and a servant bustled in, announcing the Duke of Freid, Duke Chid. Millerna bit her lip nervously. Since she had been retrieved from the ship and brought to the palace she had dreaded this moment. Four years ago, Duke Chid had proposed to her and she had turned him down. She had been quite verbal. And not very nice. She wasn't exactly looking forward to meeting him again. She had actually hoped she would never see him again.

Duke Chid was a tall man in his mid-twenties. He was handsome with fair hair, a light complexion and a freckled nose. His smile was brilliant. He could have passed as a school-boy who stole apples on a Sunday market to prove his manliness and fearlessness to his friends if it hadn't been for his eyes. She had noticed it when she had first met him. His eyes had seen no childhood. He had been very young when his father had died and Chid had had to take his place. He had never experienced the careless freedom of a child.

Chid looked at her with his striking blue eyes and his hair glowed white in the sunlight. He had grown even more into a man and he looked every bit the Duke in his formal attire.

Millerna suppressed a sigh of relief when he spoke, his voice cheerful. "Princess Millerna." He bowed and when he straightened Millerna saw a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "When I went to bed last night, I didn't expect to find Allen Schezar in my gaol and you in my palace in the morning. The day can't possibly get any better."

"I didn't expect to wake up here either."

Millerna was careful in her reply. She had never gotten to really know him. She had met Chid only a few times and he had been as arrogant as she was.

He seemed utterly at ease and relaxed, a contrast to her rigid posture. He looked at her and smiled. "You seem a little tense. Not so happy to see me, eh?" He saw her back stiffen even more and laughed softly. "Don't worry, I'm a man of a few grudges. I learned early when to accept that a battle is lost."

Millerna relaxed slightly. "Thank you. I appreciate that." And she really did. The last thing she needed was a suitor who couldn't live with a rejection.

Chid smiled again as if he knew something she didn't know. It unnerved her. She preferred to know what was going on. She didn't like surprises. "Well, your days must have been quite adventurous of what I've heard. Kidnapped by Allen Schezar, what a privilege. Judging by your appearance, they treated you well."

"Yes, they did."

She felt his eyes on her and knew that he was not to be underestimated. He had the reputation of a player, a careless, reckless youth with too much power for his own good. But she couldn't quite believe that. Chid wasn't flaunting what he had, wasn't trying to impress anybody. He let people believe what they wanted. It made him dangerous and unpredictable.

"Your father will be joyous to have you back."

It was like he was trying to gauge a reaction. Millerna gave a humorless laugh. "Oh, he certainly will be."

There was a silence when Chid merely watched her and she felt naked under his gaze. He saw right through her pretence.

Then he waved his hand and it was the signal for the guards and servants to leave. They had been standing in the doorway and half in the room, closer to the door than to Millerna. They left immediately and when the door closed, Millerna was alone with Chid.

To her astonishment, he sighed and strapped off his sword belt and shed his stiff-neck waistcoat. He plopped down in the chair beside her and sprawled his long legs out in front of him.

"I recall the last time we met and you weren't tongue-tied like that." She met his eyes and saw the challenge. Although she was never one to back down so quickly, she was careful. She didn't know his intentions, didn't know what he wanted and expected of her.

She inclined her head but held his unnerving stare. "I apologize. It wasn't my place to insult you."

Chid laughed good-naturedly and draped an arm carelessly over the backrest of his chair. "Oh, you were right. My ego had far succeeded me. It was about time someone brought me back down."

Millerna smiled and she knew that if she hadn't loved Dryden already four years ago, she wouldn't have rejected Chid. He could easily match her temper.

He leaned forward in his chair and rested his forearms on his knees. "Let me be honest with you. I thought you would be happier to return to your father." He paused and she looked up, startled. His voice was almost tender, so different from the joking, jovial tone he had used before.

She had heard that the death of his father had changed him. He used to be a kind Prince, full of warmth and compassion. Now all there was to him seemed to be charming arrogance. He was famous for his social gatherings, always surrounded himself with as many people as possible and yet when she looked at him, she knew he was lonely. All people usually saw was his façade.

Millerna turned away and looked out of the window. Bright sunlight filtered through the glass and she could see the city stretching beyond the palace courtyard. She knew she could confide in him. He was her equal in wits and temper and he was in a similar situation which enabled him to understand her better than anyone else.

"You have been the Duke of Freid since you were seven years old. I was never meant to be Queen of Asturia. I lived my life thinking I could enjoy the advantages of royalty without the burden of the responsibility." She faced him and smiled sadly. "When my sister died, things changed."

Marlene had been born to be queen, never Millerna. Marlene had been generous and fair, intelligent and perceptive in so many ways. She would have led her people into a prosperous future, like a mother guiding her child by the hand, strict but always loving. She had loved her country, her people, her duty. It had been her place to rule. Even now it still was.

Marlene's shadow was too large for Millerna, the shoes didn't fit. She could never fulfil the expectations Marlene had left in the wake of her unexpected death. Sometimes she hated her sister for that.

"I see."

She tilted her head to the side. "Did you never want to know what life was like without this burden?"

Chid stared at the floor, his jovial air gone. "I have thought about it once or twice. Mostly when I have visitors of the royal kind and see their spoiled children. It was never an option though."

"Why not?"

He raised his head and stared at her as if he couldn't believe she actually asked that question. "I can't abandon my people, Millerna. I have been given this responsibility and I will do my duty."

He was so serious, so certain. "But..."

Chid shook his head and cut off her sentence. "Millerna, I never knew your kind of freedom so I can't miss it, can't seek it."

He was right. He couldn't imagine her freedom. She couldn't imagine his not seeking it. They had so much in common yet their worlds were very different. They were driven by different things, Chid by his ambition to lead his people, Millerna by her yearning for independence. She looked at him and felt unworthy of being her people's queen. Chid had sacrificed his childhood and she was running away.

She wondered if she could do it. She wondered if she wanted to. "Are you happy?"

There was a silence filled with regrets and chances not taken but he still smiled. "I am content. I promised my father that I would take his place as Duke and lead our people, that I would protect and support them. I tell myself that so far I have succeeded and that he is somewhat proud of me."

She knew the first years had been hard for him. As a child-Duke it had been hard to demand the same respect his father had received. A Duke of a mere seven years old had seemed an easy target and so Freid had been attacked frequently after Chid had been declared Duke. He had to fight for his place among the powerful leaders of Gaea, had to fight for respect and approval. He had earned his position.

She lowered her head. "You think I'm selfish."

"No, I understand you." Chid smiled warmly at her and then looked at a spot somewhere beyond her head. "You feel deprived of the future you had planned for yourself, you feel betrayed by destiny. I know what it feels like to really want something and never achieve it."

Millerna frowned. She wondered what it was that the Duke could want so badly. As far as rumors went, Chid could have anything he wanted. He had become more powerful than his father had ever been.

As if he read her mind, Chid answered: "My father's approval."

Millerna met his eyes. Mahad-dar-Freid had been a cold man and everything of a family Chid ever had. It must have been a lonely childhood for him, his father not able to love anymore after he had lost his wife, Chid's mother, when she gave birth to their only child. Millerna suddenly felt ungrateful. She had everything, loving parents, sisters she could share her problems with. Chid had nothing like that.

"I have to decide between duty and freedom. I don't know what to do."

If she chose her freedom she would feel forever guilty. If she chose duty, she would be unhappy. Was either worth it?

Chid ran a hand through his short, white-gold hair. "It is your decision to make. I can't help you with that."

Millerna tilted her head to the side. "If it were your decision to make: What would you do?"

He chuckled. "Well, considering that ambition and big ego of mine, I'd say I would try to achieve both, fulfilling my duty and keeping my freedom."

"You would have to make compromises." She nodded and looked at Chid, waiting for what he had to say.

Chid grinned, knowing what she was getting at. "I would be willing to make them."

Millerna didn't want to take Marlene's place. People always saw Marlene in her, how the similarities in their behavior were so striking, how they looked so much alike. She wanted to be her own person. It was time she stepped out of her sister's shadow. She knew how Marlene would have handled things. She would have accepted her duty and would have sacrificed her freedom. Millerna was a fighter. She would do it her own way.

The young Duke leaned back in his seat, making it squeak, and it startled Millerna out of her thoughts. "My position expects of me to hang Allen Schezar by sunset and to let Commodore Shephard bring you back to Asturia. To tell you the truth, if you return home, your father and I will be glad to have one of our problems solved."

She blinked. This was news to her but she hadn't exactly kept track of politics while she had been at sea. "I've been gone for only a month, what could he have possibly done in this short amount of time?"

The playfulness was gone from his features. He no longer was the cheerful young man who liked to give wise advice. He was the Duke of Freid. "It has actually been going on for a while. It's an indirect effect of your father's doing. There was rumor that Daedalus and Egzardia are forming an alliance."

"So?" Millerna inhaled sharply when Chid looked up at her, his eyes cold. He was a warrior.

"Well, even rumors make your father nervous." His fingers tightened around the armrest of the chair and Millerna noticed the silence in the room. "He asked me for support in case of an invasion."

Millerna deflated. Her father had made her sit through innumerable discussions and hearings. She knew how politics worked. She knew how easily human beings were scared. She knew how fast a war started. "Why should Daedalus and Egzardia want to invade Asturia?"

"Your father is extending his military fleet, isn't he?" Millerna nodded at his questioning look. "It makes the smaller countries nervous. They're wondering what your father needs the larger fleet for."

Millerna shook her head. She couldn't believe this was happening. "He is doing it because he has the money. The economy is prospering. Last year's harvest brought in more than the years before combined. He thought it would be a good investment."

"His neighbors could feel threatened and provoked. And I can't afford another war, Millerna." He ran his hands over his face. "There is trouble in the Northern Territories here in Freid. I think they are going to strive for autonomy."

She looked at him, hard. "You want me to talk to my father."

Chid nodded without looking up. "Yes. I tried but he didn't want to listen. Give it a few more months, nervousness and anxiety are going to grow and it'll only need a tiny spark to set the entire forest on fire. What do you expect me to do, Millerna?"

She stared at him and he smiled tiredly. "If you were in my position, what would you do?"

A knock at the door interrupted her before she could even form a thought. A servant entered and bowed. "There is a man here, claiming to be the fiancé of the princess Millerna."

Millerna's posture grew rigid and Chid's eyes instantly lit up with mirth. It made him look boyish and playful, so unlike the man who knew perfectly well of his power and responsibility. "What a pleasant surprise. I want to meet that man. Show him in."

After the servant had introduced him and his apprentice, Dryden walked directly into the daggers Millerna was glaring at him. A corner of his mouth lifted into a grin and he bowed first to her and then to the Duke.

"Duke Chid, thank you for inviting me into your palace and letting me talk to the princess."

Chid rose from his seat and smiled. The expression on his face seemed honest but Millerna was suspicious. The Duke wasn't easily fooled. "Dryden Fassa, it is my pleasure. You must be relieved to know your fiancé safe."

"I am. As soon as I heard that princess Millerna had appeared in Godashim, I came here." Millerna stared. He was lying through his teeth to the Duke of Freid.

"You must have been in the vicinity of Godashim then, if you could arrive so soon, considering princess Millerna's rescue had been announced only this morning." There was something in Chid's eyes that was telling her he knew Dryden was lying.

Dryden inclined his head, picking up on the undertone in Chid's voice. "Such news travel fast, as do I. We'd been following Commodore Shephard in hopes he would be successful."

"I see." Chid didn't know Dryden's past but he knew that Dryden had definitely not been following the commodore. "Well, I'll let you talk with the princess in private. Millerna, I'll await your answer and I hope you'll join me for supper. Your fiancé may join us as well. I'm looking forward to hearing his story."

Chid gave Millerna a meaningful look before he left the room. She would have some explaining to do. When the door closed, Millerna's head turned and she fixed Dryden with a deathly glare.

"Dryden, what are you doing? How could you announce that so carelessly?"

Dryden looked pained. "Believe me, it was not my idea."

"It was mine." Millerna turned to look at Van who stood beside Dryden. If it wasn't for his permanent scowl and untameable hair, she wouldn't have recognized him. He looked clean and well-bred, his clothes expensive. There was an air of authority around him that she hadn't noticed before.

Millerna was out of her chair in an instant, temper flaring. "How dare you?! It was not your place to publicize my private life!"

Van seemed unaffected by her anger. He took the blame without blinking an eye. It aggravated her even more. "It was the only way to get into the palace and inform you about Allen's offer."

"Schezar?" Millerna snorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dryden shift but ignored him. She was angry at him for spilling their secret. The news would travel fast. Her father would find out sooner than she had wanted him too.

Schezar better have a good plan or she would personally tighten the knot around his neck. "What could he probably have to offer in his position?"

"He will take you along on the journey if you get him and the crew out of prison. You'll have to act quickly, the execution is set for tonight." Millerna stared at Van. Up to this moment she had barely heard him speak two words. She now knew she had fairly underestimated him. There was something simmering under the surface, something maybe he wasn't even aware of himself.

She narrowed her eyes and turned away. He spoke as if it was already agreed on that she would help Schezar. Of course, this was the perfect opportunity for Schezar to get rid of her. If he could have escaped by himself, he would have left her here. He didn't need her. Millerna was unwanted and dangerous ballast. If she wasn't onboard the Black Lady, Schezar could travel without the entire royal fleet following him.

Her hair glittered golden in the sunlight. She looked at Van over her shoulder, her eyes hard, trying to preserve as much of her dignity when she surrendered. "And how does he think I should do that?"

Van hesitated. "He left that up to you."

Millerna rolled her eyes. She had expected something along those lines. "What about Hitomi?"

"She's coming with us." This time Van didn't hesitate and he spoke the words so quickly that Millerna raised her brow and Dryden turned to look at him. He realized his mistake and blushed.

"Where is she? I haven't seen her in the palace." Millerna had been wondering all morning. She had been sure that if Hitomi had been captured, she would have been brought to the palace like Millerna.

But after that disastrous night she hadn't known what was going on. When the guards had found her on the ship she had finally heard that Schezar had been imprisoned. She didn't yet know about Hitomi's whereabouts. She had hoped they would be safe somewhere.

"She's safe now. She was with me last night." There was still a faint red hue across the bridge of his nose. "So, do you agree to Allen's offer?"

Millerna groaned and dug her hands into her hair. "I can't believe we're conspiring in the Duke's palace."

* * *

When Hitomi left the inn she had somewhat of a clear conscience. She had told Merle so much of the truth as was necessary. The cat-woman didn't need to know that Van had clearly forbidden Hitomi to go out. Not that Merle cared about Hitomi. Merle was worried about Van, more than usual, so that even Hitomi noticed her nervousness and fidgeting.

Hitomi shrugged and almost ran into Reeden who was headed towards the inn. Van must have bailed him out and sent him down from the prison. She pulled her cap into her eyes and slipped in between a group of maids, chattering loudly while swinging empty baskets.

She didn't dare turn around and followed the crowd to Godashim's marketplace. Her cap hid most of her hair and she hoped that combined with her unconventional clothes she would pass as a young worker. People would look for a lady and not for a tomboy in dirty clothes.

The marketplace buzzed with life and she breathed in deeply. It smelled of spices, fish and meat, of burnt wood and wool, of apples and figs. Every once in a while the scent of animals pricked her nose. There were so many different people, so many colors on clothes and blankets, exotic fruits and paintings. And there were noises. People talked, pottery clattered, a sword smith sent sparks across her path.

She watched a glassblower forming a vase. There were carpenters and basket makers presenting their work. Hitomi used to often hide in the marketplace of Joya Verde when her father wanted to present her to his guests. She would sit by the side of Meena, an old woman who wove the most beautiful pieces of fabric. She would have a blanket slung over her form so the guards wouldn't find her.

Hitomi weaved her way through the crowd, strolled from booth to booth, tasted goat cheese and wild honey. With its rich, sweet taste lingering in her mouth, she finally found a mercer from Joya Verde.

He was selling his pottery directly from his shabby looking cart. The pots and bowls were nestled in a straw bed and the green olivine gems sprinkled across their surface sparkled in the sunlight. Her islands were famous for the olivine stones that could be found scattered all over the black lava beaches. The beaches stretched for miles along the northern island. She smiled. It reminded her of home.

Her throat suddenly felt dry and she felt a familiar prickling sensation at the back of her eyes. She missed the house that was too big for only her father and herself. She missed the garden below her window with the orchids. She missed her old maid Daphne who never failed to find fault at her clothes and behavior. She missed her father's booming laughter. She missed home.

Before the feeling could overwhelm her, before it could change her mind, she pushed it back to the farthest corner of her mind where only dreams could reach it.

She stepped up to the vendor. He was old, with a grey beard and eyes like water. He looked up when Hitomi stopped at his cart.

She pulled her cap further into her eyes and gave him the letter and a few coins. "Could you take the letter to Joya Verde when you return?"

"Sure. Who is it for?" The vendor took the letter into his wrinkled hands. His skin was like parchment and she could see the veins shimmering blue.

Hitomi shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her pants. She could feel her cheeks heating up. She just hoped he wouldn't ask any more questions. "It's for the Governor."

"The governor?" He looked at the letter and turned it in his hand. The white paper was a stark contrast to his tanned skin. "I heard his daughter had been kidnapped. He is worried sick. There was no demand for ransom. Nobody knows anything. Do you have information about that?"

"Please, just give it to him."

He would bring the letter to her father on his next trip back to the island. It would take a few weeks but it was the only way because she couldn't afford a messenger. A messenger would be faster but he would raise suspicion.

Hitomi looked at the booths and sighed wistfully. She had never learned to sustain herself. It had never been necessary. All she could do was be a good wife. She had been raised for that and all she longed for was independence. She knew why her father was so adamant about her finding a husband. He wasn't young anymore and should anything ever happen to him, Hitomi would not be able to take care of herself. She loathed her own helplessness and the fact that supposedly only a husband could ensure her financial security.

If she just knew how to make money, her father wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. She would be able to lead her own life and not have other people run it.

She looked at a young woman who was making a basket from reed. Her hair was bright red where it peeked in curly tufts from under her cap. Her fingers were nimble as they twisted and turned and knotted the reed. The movements were quick and skilled, almost automatic. Her fingers spoke of hard work. They were scratched and cut where the sharp edges of the reed had grazed her skin.

After she had finished the basket, she put it aside, reached for the reed that lay in a pile at her feet and started on the next one. The woman with the copper hair suddenly looked up and her eyes focused on Hitomi.

With a gasp, Hitomi pulled her cap back into her face and turned away. She crossed quickly through the labyrinth of stalls, suddenly breathing hard. What was she thinking? Van had been right. It had been a stupid idea to come here. If someone recognized her, she would have to return to her father and her little jailbreak would be over. She needed more time.

Hitomi absentmindedly weaved her way through the crowd, biting her lip. She just hoped her father would understand. She hoped he would forgive her in the end. In the letter she had told him she would return and explain everything. But she had to do this. Something was pulling her to an unknown destination and she wouldn't be able to find peace until she knew what it was.

It wasn't just about her testing her limits, about her breaking out—not anymore. Somewhere along the way it become so much more.

She raised her eyes to avoid running into someone in front of her and froze. Among the people that moved across the marketplace, Shephard stood out, making everybody around him seem to disappear and drawing in her sole attention. He wasn't even on horseback. It was because of the way he moved. He didn't shove people out of the way or told them to make way but he still walked through the crowd without touching anyone. He was so sure of himself, his shoulders squared and his gait proud. He was intimidating in a way that people automatically shied away.

And yet his smile was genuine. Bright. There was kindness in him. She saw it every time he looked at her.

She knew he would take good care of her. Her father knew it, too. She understood that he only had her best interest in mind but she still couldn't imagine herself as Shephard's wife. She couldn't picture herself at his side, in his house, in his bed. But maybe she was wrong and marrying him would make her happy, somehow.

The crowd moved around her and she hesitated. He had not yet spotted her. If he saw her, he would bring her home to her father and would marry her. She could wait until he met her eyes. She could end her little rebellious escape and return home so her father wouldn't have to worry anymore, wouldn't blame himself any longer. It would be her chance to act sensibly and selflessly for once in her life.

She licked her lips and tasted salt. She knew that if she didn't act soon, her journey would be over. She didn't know why she was hesitating. The decision had already been made. She would disappoint her father. She would run from her responsibilities. She bit her lip and felt her eyes fill up with tears. She hated herself for being a coward.

She choked on a gasp when she was suddenly sized by her arm and dragged in between the small space between two booths. Her vision still blurred with unshed tears, she looked up into Van's angry face and her heart skipped a beat.

"What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the inn!" His eyes were stormy when he whispered heatedly. "What if I hadn't found you?"

His outburst surprised her. She had seen him angry at her many times before but there had never been so much emotion in his voice. It was almost like he cared. It frustrated her. She wished he would just stop to confuse her. She wished he would just not care, would not look at her as if he had been truly worried, as if there could be someone else as close to him as Merle. She wished he wouldn't make her chest tighten and her hands sweat. She wished he wouldn't make her hope.

She angrily wrenched her arm out of his grip. "I wanted to send my letter."

Her surroundings melted away as she watched his eyes narrow. He had so much to say, it was written all over his face, in his eyes. But his lips were pressed to a thin line, muting himself.

Ninety percent of the time she wished he would just speak his mind instead of turning around and walking away from her, leaving so many unspoken words in his wake. She couldn't read his silence.

She stared back at him. He had said he wasn't as striking as Allen but he was wrong. She knew what he had meant and she understood because he didn't see himself as she saw him. As she saw him now. Something profound had changed because she could feel herself react to him in ways she hadn't reacted before. When she had met him, she hadn't tried to find in his eyes what she was searching for now.

At this moment, there was only him, in her vision, in her mind. His presence was so overpowering that she forgot to breathe, forgot to think. His voice echoed in her mind, his words repeating over and over.

She exhaled.

What if he hadn't found her? Van would have been rid of her, a millstone around his neck, someone he didn't have the time to protect.

She rubbed the spot where he had touched her. The question held more than she hoped he would be able to draw from it. Her voice was raw. "Why did you come to find me?"

He stepped away from her, startled. His back touched the side of a vendor's booth, forcing him to a halt.

"You've been searching for me." Something in her chest constricted and her face warmed.

He had come for her and she would follow willingly, her father forgotten. There were so many possibilities here, so many paths to choose, and she chose him. She didn't know what she was hoping to find. She wanted him to tell her. She needed to know if it was worth risking everything.

She looked at Van. The sun was beating down on her back, making her sweat. She felt her shirt stick to her skin. "Why? I mean, you could have left me here and you would have been rid of me. The Commodore would have taken me home and you would have a problem less to deal with."

Van stared at her. His eyes flickered and his lips parted briefly, like he knew the answer but was unwilling to give it. She wanted to grab him and shake him. She wanted him to admit what she thought she saw in his eyes.

"I need you."

His words turned her mind blank. She felt her heartbeat pick up and a deep flush spread across the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were wide, her mouth dry, and she realized he wasn't looking at her.

His lips moved again. "I need your ability to find out about my past."

Hitomi instantly felt a familiar burning at the back of her eyes and bit her lip to stop it from trembling. Hadn't they had that argument before? Hadn't he listened? Hadn't he learned that this was the wrong answer?

But she should have known better. It always came back to her powers. After all, she had offered them herself to him. Why didn't she just stop hoping?

It surprised her how much his words actually hurt her and she was afraid of what it meant. She was angry at him, angry at herself.

Her palm stung when she slapped him hard across the face and it felt good. The immediate pain covered the dull throbbing of deeper wounds. He didn't look up when she left. She didn't want to care.

* * *

A/N: A humongous thank you to everyone who reviewed ^^ Aaand a superlicious senkiu to Ryuu Angel for having a teensy bit of a look at this chapter and correcting some embarrassing errors *coughgoalcough* I hope....:P Senkiuu, my loff. I really really appreciate it ^^


	13. Dreams of a Life Forgotten

Previously on Beyond....

Allen and most of his crew got arrested in Godashim. Van visits them in gaol and they decide to ask Millerna for help. When Allen had been arrested Millerna had been brought to Duke Chid who is one of her former suitors. They talk about Asturian politics when the arrival of Millerna's fiancé is announced. She is not happy that Van spilled her secret but she agrees to get Allen out of goal. In the meantime, Hitomi (who had stayed at an inn with Merle) leaves on her own to send a letter to her father. She spots Shephard in the crowd in the marketplace but before he can see her Van pulls her aside. They have an argument which ends with Hitomi slapping Van...

* * *

Chapter 13 – Dreams of a Life Forgotten

* * *

The water spanned like a sheet around the ship, calm and unruffled. Folken looked up at the sails that hung limply from the spars. Not the slightest breeze touched them.

"Oh, I hope there will be wind soon. This calm is boring me to death."

Folken looked at Dilandau when he stopped beside him and slouched against the bulwarks. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and Folken saw the beginnings of a sunburn to bloom on his pale cheeks. The recently scabbed wound that ran deep from his cheekbone almost to the corner of his mouth stood out starkly against his skin.

"There will be wind soon." Folken turned and looked out at the still water. "The seers saw us at our destination. We will arrive soon."

"I wish we were there already. I need something to do!" Dilandau screamed the last words and ruffled his hair in frustration. "It's a shame that you let that cat-girl flee, Folken. It would have been so much fun to play with her. If only..."

Dilandau trailed off and clenched his fist, a sudden wave of white rage rippling across his face.

There was no doubt that he would have toyed with Merle, drawing out the last moments before he would have snuffed her life with a satisfied smile and without a single regret. Folken had watched the young man fight, had watched him slaughter men in cold blood, had watched him torture with the fire of bloodlust burning in his eyes. Dilandau didn't need a reason. He merely killed for killing itself. He enjoyed it, living on the thrill of the adrenaline, without a care of the consequences.

Folken's face didn't betray the turmoil of feelings that raged through him. He knew he couldn't have left Merle there to die, no matter what he had said or not said to her.

Her appearance had been unexpected. Not even the seers had been able to foretell it. It had unsettled him more than he had wanted to admit. She had died for him a long time ago and he had been able to live with it. Now that he had seen her, grown into a beautiful woman without having lost any of her fierce spite and temper, he couldn't go back to telling himself that she was gone. Nor his brother.

He had known that things were going to change when he had seen Van in the cave. No matter how much he had wished it weren't so, they had been bound to meet again. Their fates were too closely interwoven. He could not escape that.

But finding that Van had lost his memory was a factor he hadn't expected. It explained why his brother hadn't yet reclaimed his birthright. It didn't explain, however, why Merle hadn't told him. He couldn't see her intentions, why she would keep that from him. She must know he would find out eventually.

He shook his head. More complications they didn't need. "It wouldn't have changed anything if you had her killed."

Dilandau turned his head and looked at him, his crimson eyes sharp and piercing. Folken knew not to underestimate Dilandau. There wasn't much he cared about and he was without regrets. It made him dangerous, wild and unpredictable. He wondered why he had become the way he was, what had made him loose the ability to seemingly feel anything at all.

Folken felt compelled to pity the albino for his lack of compassion but instead he admired him. Dilandau wasn't with them because he supported the Captain, he was there because he had nowhere else to go, nothing else to do and this was as good as any. Folken was sure if Dilandau found something that he thought more rewarding, he would turn his back on the crew and walk away without ever looking back

"She has the map memorized. Schezar will follow us now so there might be some fun after all."

Everyone was obsessed with that map but Folken didn't say that out loud. Everyone who came in contact with the map would never be able to let go again. They weren't following the map but the map was luring them to their destination. They would not be able to rest before they had found whatever the red cross marked. The map would not let them.

"I'm sure Schezar would have found us even without the map, just like they found us in Godashim." Folken rested his forearms on the warm wood of the railing and exhaled.

He shook his head and tried to recall the feeling that had made his skin crawl in that bar in Godashim, the feeling of being watched. "Just like us, they're not playing fair."

"It doesn't matter now, I guess." Dilandau rubbed his index finger so hard over his wound that his fingernail turned white and the scab crumbled. Blood oozed, rich and thick, and he smeared it all over his cheek. He didn't seem to feel the pain. Bloodlust had dilated his pupils. "I just hope Schezar catches up soon so I can kill that rotten bastard who marred my cheek."

Folken glanced at him. He had seen him pick at the scab before. It would leave a scar that would glow on his pale skin like a red flame. "I wouldn't get my hopes up too soon if I were you. The Captain saw to it that Schezar would be followed."

Dilandau didn't raise his head, merely continued rubbing his head. He would be the perfect warrior, cold-blooded, unscrupulous, living of the pain and horror of others, if it weren't for his one weakness. He was easily obsessed. If there was something he wanted, Dilandau would forget everything else until he got it, single-minded. No word, no order would stop him. Like a trained dog he would lock jaws and wouldn't let go.

Watching the sea, Folken couldn't tell how long he had been standing there motionlessly when a pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist. Dilandau had disappeared.

"A penny for your thoughts," Eriya whispered in his ear and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Folken closed his eyes. The sun warmed his skin. "Do you know how Schezar found us? Could you see it?"

Her arms tightened around him and she pressed her cheek against his shoulder blade. The fabric of his shirt was warm. "No, I couldn't. You know I would have told you."

"So, it was meant to happen. We weren't supposed to change it." Folken turned in her arms and looked at her. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed as she peered questioningly at him. "Aren't you ever frustrated that your path is laid out for you and you can't do anything to change it? Or even if you thought you left that path it is only because you were meant to?"

Eriya averted her eyes and Folken wondered what she wanted to hide from him. She had never lied to him but he was sure there were times when she didn't tell him the whole truth. "You know that's not how it is, Folken."

He rested his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them softly. "My fate was set in stone for me at birth and when I tried to break free, I set loose a chain of events that has led me here and that will lead me back to my destined end."

Eriya's head snapped up, anger clearly written across her face. "It is cowardly to say you have no choice."

She had wanted to say something else. Her eyes were too furious for words so gentle. In moments like these he never knew exactly what she was thinking. Most of the times he could read her face like a book but some emotions were like a language he couldn't understand, like words in a foreign tongue that were strewn into a text. Their meaning could be derived from the context but he could never be sure. "You think I do?"

"I know you do." Her hand on his face was cold but he leaned into the touch. "There is always a choice. Your fate is not decided yet. Why else would our visions be so faulty? They are a few of thousand possibilities. If you change your mind, your future will change. That's how it's always been. That's how it always will be."

Her compassion was astounding. It consumed her, pulsed through her to the tips of her fingers. He didn't understand. Whereas Dilandau seemed to entirely lack compassion and didn't care even about his own life, Eriya seemed to feel too much. She was putting herself second but it was what drove her, it was why she was still here. With him. "I can't believe it. Has my future changed since you met me?"

Eriya bit her lip. "No, but that is because you don't think it can. I, on the other hand, believe strongly that it will change."

He brushed strands of her hair out of her face. He looked at her and knew he was going to disappoint her. It pained him but it was irrevocable. "You hope, Eriya."

She smiled at him and the corners of her eyes softened. It was a sad smile. "Someone has to believe in you."

"Why?" It confused him. Why would she want to hurt herself so much? She could see his future, more clearly than her own reflection in a mirror. She knew what was going to happen, she knew she would end up hurt and yet, here she was, convinced that it would change.

"You must be saved. I cannot –--" His fingers on her lips stopped her.

He didn't want her to hurt. Didn't want her to hurt because of him. "I have accepted it. Why can't you?"

She took his hand in hers and angrily shook her head. She wouldn't let him convince her otherwise. She must know his intentions and still she wouldn't listen. "Because it's wrong to give up."

"You have given up."

Eriya sighed, frustrated. "Sometimes I think you don't want to understand, Folken. My –" she broke off and waved her hand irritably. "Our fate is another. The same rules do not apply to us. We are bound, Folken. We cannot act, only watch. But that doesn't stop me from believing that someone else will do what I can't."

"Save me?" He chuckled and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her surprise before she relaxed against him. She smelled like rain over endless fields and wind in cherry blossoms, like a long forgotten memory and he wasn't sure if it was because he wanted her to. "I'm sorry to have dragged you in this."

He didn't see her smile as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Don't be. It was probably the only time I was ever given a choice. Thank you. For letting me choose."

"You are too forgiving."

There was something else she wanted to say, her lips parted to form the words. The slightest hesitation and they merely formed a small smile, unspoken words filling the silence between them. Never to be voiced. Never to be heard.

She knew there was no point in arguing. They had been over this again and again and they were both unwilling to change their mind. No matter what she told him. She didn't want to lie to him so she rather said nothing at all.

"Did you see my brother? Will they be successful?" She was surprised when he spoke. She knew what caused his restlessness but she hadn't expected him to ask her about it. It must bother him more than he was willing to admit.

Van. Folken had recognized his brother the moment he had spotted him in the cave. It wasn't so much the physical resemblance for Van had been a mere six years old the last time Folken had seen him. It was more a feeling, an instant certainty.

He had known that they would meet eventually but it shouldn't have been now.

"They are still undecided." Eriya's arms tightened around him. "Their success depends on their choice. It is always about choice. You should try."

"What?"

"Faith." Eriya straightened and looked him in the eyes. "Believe in your brother for a start. Maybe you can believe in yourself one day."

"There is something you're not telling me." He saw it in her eyes. An emotion so raw it almost scared him.

"You don't want to hear it. Maybe another time." She kissed him on the lips, the lightest of touches, a whispered promise, and left him standing on deck.

* * *

The air in the harbor of Godashim was pervaded with the stench of dead fish and Hitomi wrinkled her nose. She sniffed her shirt and shook her head. All she could smell was dead fish. The pallets and boxes that they were hiding behind had been filled with fish and seafood in the morning but everything had been sold before noon. Now the boxes were empty, only the stench lasted. It had soaked the ground so deeply that not even the rain had been able to wash it away.

Sighing, she fidgeted in her crouched position and tried to shift away from Van. He was pressed up against her, peering over an empty pallet. He was too close for her comfort but in their small hiding place there wasn't enough space for her to shift. She could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. She wished he would feel discomfort as well and would try to move away from her but he didn't seem to care.

She wanted to turn and peer at his face. The air left her lungs in a rush when she exhaled and instead she stared at Reeden who sat with his knees pulled up to his chin across from her.

When she looked at Van all she would see was the blazing red imprint of her fingers on his cheek. All visible traces of her slapping him had long faded, even the stinging in her palm, but she could still see it. There was a thin thread of guilt weaving through her mind. She shouldn't have lost her temper. She shouldn't have expressed so much emotion. It had been immature and irrational and helped at all. If anything it only made her situation harder.

It had been impossible for her to look him in the eyes afterwards. It hadn't been his fault. It had been hers because she had let her guard down, had let herself hope, had let herself believe that he would resist the temptation, that he would not see her powers when he looked at her.

Reeden raised his brows at her in questioning and she shook her head. What should she tell him? That Van made her uncomfortable, not in a bad way but not in a good way either?

Relief washed through her when Merle finally returned and Van shifted to greet her. Merle skipped over a few boxes and joined them in their hiding place. Her ears twitched when she licked her paws. A self-satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

Van sat down and rested his back against a tank filled with water. His leg grazed Hitomi's and there was no room to move. Hitomi squirmed and felt her face heat up. She glanced at Reeden, afraid he would notice her discomfort and draw conclusions but realized how ridiculous she was acting and almost laughed. Berating herself, she missed the look that crossed Merle's face.

"Well?" Van addressed Merle curiously and directed her attention away from Hitomi. He knew she wanted him to ask. "What did you find out?"

"There are two guards up in the fort." She pointed over her shoulder. Fort Morgan was right behind them but the four of them were hidden from side by innumerable palettes and boxes. "Only three of Shephard's men are guarding the ship. They seem pretty sure of themselves."

Van leaned his head against the tank behind him and stared up at the sky. "There's another fort out at the entrance of the harbor. If we manage to get on the ship and out of the inner harbor, they'll blow enough holes in the Lady's hull to sink her."

Reeden straightened as much as he could in the small space he had. "We need to take out the guards in the forts, the crew can deal with the guards here at the docks when they arrive."

Hitomi had wanted to be involved. She hadn't wanted to be left watching from the sidelines, useless. Now that she was a part of it she wished she were somewhere else.

Right after Dryden had found her wandering the streets of Godashim aimlessly, he had explained the details of their plan. He was to take Millerna to gaol to get Allen out. Hitomi was to follow Reeden, Van and Merle to the southern docks in the harbor to make sure they would be able to depart without meeting further obstacles.

She hadn't told Dryden about her little disagreement with Van. He didn't ask but he must have noticed. The blazing mark on Van's cheek was unambiguous.

Dryden had made clear that there was no time to waste. She would have to postpone everything until later. She had nodded. She had followed the order. She had followed Van to the harbor. That's where she had been ever since. Waiting.

She wondered how Millerna was holding up. If she was playing her part well. She could just imagine the princess, revealing her shiny hair from under the hood that had covered her head when she had crossed the palace grounds toward the gaol. All the guards would be dazzled, flustered.

Before they would realize what happened, everything would be over. Allen would be out of his cell, holding the princess hostage. From then on it would be a matter of how fast they could run. The crew was supposed to split up in small groups and take different routes back to the harbor so they wouldn't attract more attention than necessary.

Hitomi was startled out of her thoughts when Merle kicked her leg, probably with the intention to merely nudge her. She blinked.

"He asked you something." Merle jerked her head and Hitomi turned to face Van. She could feel the sun burning down on her back and sweat tickled down her neck.

His eyes were unreadable when he spoke and he was looking at a spot above her head. "I was just explaining our next steps. You know we have to clear the path for the rest of the crew so that we can make sail as soon as they arrive."

"I know that. I guess I missed the part where you explained what I'm supposed to do."

For a moment, Van seemed reluctant. "Merle and I are going to take out the guards at Fort Walker out on the hook. Reeden will take care of the guards here at Fort Morgan. I would prefer if you stayed in the background."

The disappointment she felt was irrational. Not because she couldn't fight, not because she was to stay hidden and wait it out and end up useless again but because he didn't want her to accompany him. And no matter how much she was trying to convince herself otherwise, she wanted to go with him.

"Okay, I can do that." She was surprised at how calm her voice sounded in her own ears. Almost as if there wasn't a storm of emotions raging within her. If the situation had been another, she would have smiled at Van's disbelieving face. "I told you I can be civil if I want to."

His face gave nothing away when he pulled a dagger from his boot and gave it to her. Sunlight ran silver across the blade, caught like a dew drop at the tip. "This is just in case."

She reached out almost automatically, her fingers curling around the hilt and his hand suddenly closed around hers. She gasped at the contact, her eyes wide. He shifted and held her tightly with both hands.

"I know you can fight but I don't want you to." He spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. The emotion in his voice was raw. Her heart was hammering in her chest. "But use it if you have to. It's easy to handle, just twist it after stabbing. And if you want to hit someone, a punch is much more effective than a slap."

There was the slightest, barest hint of amusement in his voice but she didn't dare look into his eyes. Instead she stared at their twined hands. "Just don't forget to not tuck in your thumb or you'll break it."

She managed a nod. Somewhere in the harbor district a clock struck the half hour and Van let go of her hand. Her skin burned. "Time is up. We have to get started."

Hitomi caught the nasty glare Merle shot her as she turned to follow Van down to the docks. Watching them weave in and out of the labyrinth of boxes as they hurried to get closer to the docks, she tried to catch her breath.

"Well, I better get moving as well. Job won't take care of itself." Reeden rubbed the back of his neck, giving her a sympathetic look before he disappeared and Hitomi was close to using her dagger on him.

She didn't need anyone's sympathy. It was her choice to stay here hidden among the boxes. She could have protested and complained like a child until Van would have taken her along even if he didn't want her to fight. Her hands suddenly started shaking and she sat down on them to stop the motion. Her entire body convulsed.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the boxes. Even if she had wanted to fight, she knew she wouldn't have been able to. The mere thought of a confrontation terrified her. She wasn't ready to take a life. She never would be. Behind her closed lids she saw the eyes of the albino glowing crimson in the darkness. She saw the thirst in them and wondered why he had let her live. There had been no mercy in his eyes.

She dug her nails into the hard ground and hoped the pain would take her mind off things. Her breath was loud in her ears. She had thought she could fight. She had thought her training had been somewhat sufficient. She had been convinced she could stand a chance. She had looked into the albino's eyes and her mind had gone blank. She squeezed her eyes shut.

An image flashed in the darkness and a sigh escaped her lips. "Hey Reeden."

His head peeked over a palette and he scrambled to sit with her. She opened her eyes and looked him over. "That was fast."

He shrugged. "They weren't expecting it. They're all sure it'll be a quiet day because the Cap'n is locked up."

The harbor was less busy than usual due to the impending execution. Most people had migrated to the marketplace already, hoping to find a good spot to watch. The two of them sat in silence and listened to the whisper of the sea and the cries of seagulls until the clock in the harbor struck the hour. Reeden moved and motioned for Hitomi to follow. The clock had been the signal for Dryden and Millerna to start with their scheme. If everything went according to plan, the first escapees should arrive in the harbor soon. They watched the adjoining streets.

Kio and Pyle were first. They were soon followed by five more crew members, a group of royal guards hot on their heels. The calm that had engulfed the harbor splintered under the clashing of swords and the shouts that rose above the gentle murmur of the sea. Hitomi hurried to a dinghy that was tied up at the dock. It had been Reeden's instruction. Untie, get in, wait. Her hands shook as she worked on the knot. The adrenaline that was being pumped through her system by her wildly beating heart didn't help lessen the worry.

She knew Millerna couldn't possibly be safer with Allen and Dryden but she couldn't be in more danger either. Could a princess be accused of treason? Up until this moment she hadn't realized the full extent of their actions. They were helping Allen Schezar, a pirate pursued by the royal fleets of at least five countries, to break out of prison. If they got caught, they would hang from the same gallows as he would.

Her breath hitched and she felt panic bubble in the pit of her stomach. Pain suddenly exploded in her face and she blinked against the tears, blinked the world back into focus. Merle was in front of her, brows knitted in anger, arm raised to slap her again if necessary. Relief washed through Hitomi when she recognized the cat woman and she involuntarily turned to look for Van.

"I don't need you to zone out on me now." Merle crouched beside her and simply cut the rope that held the boat. "We're not done here yet!"

Hitomi rubbed her cheek to soothe the stinging sensation. She was about to help Merle with the boat when the commotion at the docks grew in noise. The clatter of hooves was audible.

Turning, she spotted the carriage that came speeding down the waterfront. The flanks of the horses were steaming as they stopped. Allen and Gaddes jumped from the helmat the same time as Dryden and Millerna hurriedly excited the cabin. Allen shouted and charged at the first guard who approached him. He motioned for his crew to retreat and Hitomi saw the guards on horseback who flowed towards the docks from every street.

Her legs were suddenly too heavy to move. She stood paralysed. Like in her visions, she could only watch. But this time she would not wake up screaming, drenched in sweat. This time people were going to die in front of her. She didn't know why it shocked her so much. She had seen it before, felt it before. She couldn't say what was the difference.

_I know you can fight. _Van's words echoing in her mind seemed to mock her. She was pretending, trying to convince herself that she could. But she couldn't fight.

It was the same feeling that had choked her when she had faced the albino. She had held a sword before, she had learned how to use it, had learned to fight. Yet she had been unable to protect Merle and herself. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

The guards broke into the harbor like a tidal wave. There were so many of them. Too many. And they were too fast. Faster than Allen's men were able to get in the boats. The captain was shielding Millerna and Dryden who was not carrying a sword. She saw Van and her eyes widened. He worked through the guards like a tropical storm, leaving only death in his wake. His movements were fluent, his aim precise and lethal.

She remembered the fight with the albino. Van's fight. Her own fight. She remembered how her hands had trembled at the thought of ending a life. She watched as Van struck another guard, his face impassive. The blade of his sword was smeared with blood and his shirt stained with dark blotches. Nausea rose in her throat.

He was focused but his gaze was blank when their eyes met. She inhaled sharply. Two guards approached him and he moved quickly. They fell limply down beside him and he stood above their bodies like a demon.

Hitomi stared but didn't hear a sound as swords clashed. It was all just a buzzing in her ears, even Merle who was already in a boat, held back by Orth, yelling something Hitomi couldn't understand.

She felt someone seize her arm roughly and faced a guard when she turned her head. Before surprise could register Reeden was beside her and the pressure was gone from her arm.

Reeden pulled at her arm and she realized she was stumbling after him towards the boats. He was shouting at Merle who was shouting back at him. The buzzing noise in her ears grew louder and then a dull sound echoed across the bay, followed by silence.

Hitomi turned in the same moment as Allen's yelled command to take cover tore the silence. She saw the ship that had entered the harbor without anybody noticing, saw the cloud of smoke that had gathered at one of the canon holes. The cannonball hit a depot and the explosion sent debris and dust flying between the fighting parties.

Hitomi coughed, her ears ringing. She curled her fingers into her palm and felt stone under her fingertips. She coughed up more dust and found herself flat on her stomach, her face in the dirt.

"Ruhm is giving us a chance for escape!" Allen's voice was close beside her. Swords clashed and she tried to get up on her feet. "Get in the boats! Get in, now!"

One cannonball hit the docks, two hit one of the ships of the Commodore's fleet. A hole was torn in its starboard side and the first mast fell in a shower of splinters and the heavy creaking of breaking wood.

Hitomi saw Merle out of the corner of her eyes. The cat woman was helping Reeden into the boat when Hitomi felt someone pull her to her feet.

"Come on." Van held her firmly by the upper arm and guided her through the debris. All she saw was the blood on his hands.

Allen's men were able to retreat further towards the boats. The royal guards were distracted by the damage that had been done to the docks and the ship. Hitomi jerked when another shot echoed across the bay and another ship was hit. Allen laughed close beside her.

"Ruhm is making sure we won't be followed." Allen whooped and laughed again.

The dinghies left the docks while it was still raining stones and wood. More guards arrived at the docks and started to prepare a ship with the intention to follow Allen. The first two shots hit the dock close beside the ship, the following one hit the bow.

Under cover of Ruhm's gunfire they reached the _Black Lady._ In an instant the men were working on the sails and weighing the anchor. Hitomi stood at the railing when Millerna joined her, looking out at the harbor. Smoke rose from the docks in various places.

"Millerna, you're alright." Just now Hitomi realized how worried she had been. She hadn't seen the princess since she had joined the crew to save Merle.

"Did you doubt me?" Millerna smiled but it did not reach her eyes.

The princess tried to sound cheerful but beneath the surface she was grave and focused. Something had changed.

"I was worried." Hitomi watched as the cannons of the _Lady_ chocked iron and smoke as the ship picked up speed.

More wood groaned and splintered at the waterfront, yet the cannons of both forts that were set up to protect the southern docks remained silent. Reeden, Van and Merle had made sure that they would be able to depart unharmed. In her mind she saw the faces of the dying soldiers.

"Me too."

As the ships left the harbour of Godashim, Chid stood at the bay windows of his chamber and looked out at the sea. Dark smoke curled against an orange sky. The sun was slowly setting as his guards brought news that Allen Shezar had been able to escape and kidnap the princess Millerna.

Chid merely nodded. He already knew. In his hand he held Millerna's note.

_You were right. I'm greedy and I want it all. Don't worry, I will take care of everything. __I promise. M._

No apology for standing him up at dinner. No apology for getting herself kidnapped by Schezar yet again.

A smile played around the corners of his lips as he rejected Shephard's request for support in the pursuit of Allen Schezar.

* * *

Millerna's fingers held the quill lightly as she wrote the letter to her father. She was careful not to scratch across the paper or to stain it with ink. The letter had to look professional if she wanted her father to listen to her. Her lips were pressed to a thin line and Hitomi watched when her eyes narrowed in concentration and the princess stalled.

They sat in Allen's cabin, Millerna perched on a chair at the only table that was still cluttered with various papers. She had shoved them apart and created somewhat of a workspace for herself. She was lost in thoughts, thinking of the words that would sway her father in his decision.

Hitomi sat in the shade by the astern windows, watching her friend. After they had left Godashim behind, Millerna had disappeared for a day and it wasn't until a few hours ago that Hitomi had found out about Chid's request. "What is it you're mulling over?"

Millerna's hair caught the sunlight when she looked up. There were dark circles under her eyes and Hitomi couldn't remember ever having seen the princess so tired and so determined at the same time. "I know what to tell him in terms of Chid's concerns. I have no trouble discussing political matters with him. On the interpersonal level, however, I'm at a loss for words." With a groan she leaned back in her chair and threw her hands up in the air. "What am I supposed to say? Sorry, daddy, I couldn't stand you anymore and forced Schezar to kidnap me? Hmm...it doesn't sound half as bad as I thought."

Hitomi couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice when she chided her friend. She knew Millerna well enough to believe that she could go through with that. And she wouldn't even regret it later. "Millerna."

"What?" The princess shrugged. "It's honest."

"Honest, ack." The parrot sat on the shelf by the door and ruffled its feathers. It had followed Hitomi into the room when she had come to find Millerna. If Allen knew, he would make stew of the parrot.

Millerna pointed at it and raised a brow. "Even the parrot agrees."

Hitomi shook her head with a smile. Folding her legs, she leaned her elbows on her knees. "It's honest but not diplomatic. You want him to listen to you, not to disinherit you."

"Oh, he might've done that already." Millerna's voice was dry like a desert wind. She knew her father, knew from where she got her pigheadedness. King Aston had certainly considered that option after finding that his daughter had stolen away. In that aspect they were unfortunately very much alike. Neither of them wanted to give in first. Neither of them would give up until they had exhausted all their possibilities.

"Be honest but a little less direct, you know. Tell him why you left. Tell him what happened." After a moment of hesitation Hitomi added, "Tell him about Dryden."

Millerna's face darkened so suddenly that Hitomi immediately regretted mentioning Dryden. She knew it was a sore spot for Millerna but she was sure that the sooner Millerna told her father the better she would feel in the long run.

Even though Millerna disagreed so much with her father, she still wanted him to approve of her fiancée. The only thing that had stopped her from telling him all these years was her fear of his rejecting Dryden. Hitomi knew her own father would approve of pretty much any choice in men she would ever introduce to him. It was ironic that she had everything Millerna wanted but so far had never taken advantage of.

"You know, I'll probably have to tell him sooner than I want to anyway." The quill broke under the pressure of Millerna's hand. Her fingertips were white where she held the writing utensil. "And it's all because of Van. Did I tell you what he dared to do when we were in the palace of Godashim?"

"No, you didn't." Hitomi couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. She hadn't heard a single word about what had happened in the palace. And it must have been something important because Millerna had disappeared right after for more than a day.

"That dirty little thief had Dryden announced as my fiancée so they could call on Duke Chid." Hitomi was surprised at the anger she heard in the princess's voice. "Can you believe it? Announced him as my fiancée in front of the Duke and his entire court when I tried to keep it a secret for the last two years. Who does he think he is?"

"Millerna..." Hitomi drew back, appalled. She couldn't remember ever hearing the princess speak of someone so disdainfully. Millerna usually resorted to yelling and stomping her foot when she was annoyed. This time her anger was quiet and strong, like a snake coiling before an attack, frighteningly dangerous. Van must have hit a nerve. Unknowingly. "He couldn't know."

"Don't try to protect him. Of course, he knew! Dryden told him and he still didn't care and ignored him, disobeyed my wish, my order. I know you favor him." She held up a hand when Hitomi opened her mouth to protest. "But I can't just let him walk all over me. I've been patient here but this is more than just disrespectful."

It was, Hitomi knew. Van had undermined Millerna's authority. Unknowingly. The princess had every right to feel patronized. A servant in the palace would have been severely punished for something like that. Van couldn't have known. He wouldn't have done it if he had known. Surely.

"What are you going to do?" Hitomi felt a knot form at the pit of her stomach. She knew when Millerna was joking but this time the princess was completely serious. She worried because of Van. She worried because she cared.

Here she was, defending him against her best friend whom he had thoroughly insulted.

"I don't know." Millerna threw away the broken quill she had been holding the entire time and fished for a new one out of Allen's desk drawer. Her forehead smoothed and it was one of the moments when Hitomi was scared by the control Millerna had over her emotions. When she threw a fit it was mostly for show and because she enjoyed fulfilling the expectations people had of a spoiled princess. The real anger she kept to herself and her façade only rarely slipped.

She waved the new quill at Hitomi and gave an exasperated sigh as if she hadn't just thought about having Van hang at the gallows. "First, I'll finish this letter though."

Trying to keep her heavily beating heart in check, Hitomi drew a shaky breath. Glad for the change of topic, she said, "But you do know that telling your father about Dryden is the one thing that could make him understand."

"I don't want to tell him like that. I want to look in his eyes, see his reaction and yell at him. He shouldn't have to find out through a letter." Millerna tapped her fingers on the wooden desk. "It's my best chance though, isn't it?"

Hitomi understood Millerna now. How she struggled between duty and her freedom. How she could neither seem to bring those two together nor be happy without either. She was trying to make fire and ice coexist in the same place. She would burn her fingers in the process.

"You're his favorite girl. He'll come around and forgive you eventually."

Millerna snorted. "Yeah, his baby girl whom he simply can't take seriously. It's ridiculous, really. He wants me to rule his country but at the same time he doesn't think I'm capable of doing it. What am I supposed to do?"

There was a silence that meant more to Millerna than any words of sympathy or advice Hitomi could have told her. Millerna wanted neither, she wanted to be understood.

With her hand she brushed away a few sweaty strands that stuck to her forehead. The heat had become almost unbearable and her clothes had started to stick to her skin. "I'm sorry, I'm ranting about myself." She looked at Hitomi and put the quill in the ink pot. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. I bet it was a lot more fun with Van. At least you weren't locked up in the palace all day."

Hitomi watched as Millerna attempted to get comfortable in her chair, smoothed out her hair, rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and slouched against the backrest, an expectant expression on her face. This was the moment Hitomi had dreaded. The moment Millerna would shift her attention away from the letter. And she had that look in her eyes that told Hitomi she would not let go until she knew the entire story.

In an attempt to look nonchalant, Hitomi shrugged her shoulder and averted her eyes. Millerna would instantly see through the lie. "It was alright, I guess."

Images flashed in front of her eyes. Bloody sword. Bloody hands. Stained shirt. Van's empty crimson eyes. She shuddered.

"You don't like him, why would you want me to tell you about him?"

The princess rolled her eyes but not before Hitomi saw a quick flash of quiet anger. "This is between him and I, it has nothing to do with you."

Hitomi bit her lip and averted her eyes. She was uncomfortable in the position in which she was standing between Millerna and Van, facing her best friend with her back to him. It was so natural, so easy that it scared her.

The sudden impatient cry of the parrot pierced the silence like a knife. It hurt her ears and she was startled out of her thoughts.

"Oh, come on. What happened? You were all alone with him." Millerna made a disbelieving noise in the back of her throat. "Please, Hitomi! Distract me or I'm going to lose my mind!"

Hitomi sighed and rubbed her arms, trying to dispel the goose bumps that appeared despite the heat. "Technically, I wasn't alone with him. Merle was there." She looked up at Millerna who had one brow raised. Oh what the hell. Millerna would find out anyway. "And I might have slapped him."

The princess threw back her head and barked out a laugh. "Did he deserve it?"

Hitomi twisted her body to look out the window. The sea in the wake of the ship curled and foamed like the lips of a rabid animal. The wind carried them steadily south to where Merle had pointed out their destination. Hitomi had seen the place. In a dream. A vision. The night before. She had known it was their destination because the feeling of restlessness had been gone. Like the island wanted them to find it, like it was pulling them, not letting them rest until they had reached its shore.

She had felt the steady pulse of the island, had heard its slow breathing. It was sleeping. Waiting. And it was hostile.

She shook the thoughts from her mind and finally answered Millerna's question. "He did. But that still doesn't excuse my action. I shouldn't have lost my temper."

Since when did she care? She never cared what people thought of her. She behaved merely for her father's sake. So why did it suddenly matter what Van thought of her and her actions? When did it start to matter?

"Oh, Hitomi, what would I do without you?" Millerna rested her head in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were kind and knowing. "And now you feel guilty and want to apologize but your pride stops you."

Hitomi smiled. The princess knew her well but not well enough. There were still things Hitomi kept to herself. It wasn't that she didn't trust Millerna. The princess had proved to be trustworthy long ago. It was just that admitting it to Millerna meant admitting it to herself.

"No. I'm just embarrassed." And nervous. But she would never say it out loud. Not yet. Her palms were sweaty, her heart was racing and a restless feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach. Millerna would read too much into that behavior and it would only make matters worse.

Millerna frowned. "What is stopping you then?"

She realized she wasn't yet ready to tell Millerna the whole story. She had to figure it out for herself or Millerna would drive her mad with her assumptions. "You haven't finished your letter yet."

"I think I can manage the last paragraph on my own. But thank you for the support." Millerna stood gracefully and mentioned towards the door. Hitomi swallowed. "Now let me repay that favor by kicking you out of here."

Millerna stayed almost true to her word and shoved Hitomi out of the door. Millerna knew that there was something Hitomi wasn't telling her and Hitomi was grateful she hadn't asked.

The air under deck was hot and sticky and she could feel her shirt clinging to her back. She hoped they were going to reach milder climates soon. The humidity was driving her crazy.

She found that the way to the crew's quarters was too short. She wished the ship were bigger. Wished she had walked more slowly. What was she doing there?

The knock echoed down the hall and she winced. Without waiting for a reply, she stepped in, afraid she would lose all her courage before he opened the door. A dozen hammocks were tied between posts, swaying gently with the movements of the ship. They were all empty and she was about to leave when she heard the soft splash of water from the back of the room.

Pushing the hammocks aside, she moved towards the noise. A gasp escaped her lips when her eyes fell on Van. He stood with his bare back to her by a small closet that held a wash basin. A pair of snow-white wings protruded from his back, filling the entire space around him up to the wooden ceiling, so bright they almost blinded her. They were huge, however not in a monstrous way but delicate, breakable even. They shouldn't have been able to fit in the cramped space but the room seemed to bend around them, bow to their majestic beauty.

She blinked and the image was gone before Van had even turned around to face her. Surprise and confusion swirled in his eyes.

"Hitomi?"

She stared at him. The image of the wings was still too fresh, their imprint in her mind too vivid to forget so quickly. What had just happened?

"Hitomi, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

The wings were gone. There was no trace, no feather left. Like they had never been there at all. She must have imagined it. That was when she realized that Van was saying her name while waving his hand in front of her face. And that he wasn't wearing a shirt while doing so.

She started and whirled around, her ears burning. She tried to dismiss the fact that she found herself attracted to his toned physique, tried to ignore the warmth that pooled at the pit of her stomach. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

Van had the decency to put on a shirt. She heard his clothes ruffle. "You didn't disturb me. I was just about to clean up a bit."

"I'm still sorry for barging in like that." She stared at the wall across from her, her face hot. What had she been thinking?

"You can turn around now." If she wasn't completely mistaken she could detect the slightest hint of amusement in his voice. The heat still pooled at the back of her neck. "What brings you here?"

She stared at him again. There was really no trace of the wings and he didn't seem to have noticed. A vision? It couldn't be. She had missed the feeling of being pulled out of her body, of floating. It had been so real.

"Hitomi, what...?"

He still seemed confused. And impatient. But there was no trace of the anger and disdain she had expected. "I'm fine. I just..."

She trailed off and looked around the room, craning her neck to see around his back, checked the floor. There was nothing, not even a shadow of what she had seen. Should she ask him? She looked at Van but his expression didn't give away if he had been aware that he had been winged just mere seconds ago.

Blinking her eyes, she shook her head once. "I came to tell you something."

He frowned. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes and wondered if he had slept since they had set out to find Merle. He had been worried, had blamed himself. The cat was safe now and yet he looked even more tired than three days ago.

Looking him over she found that it wasn't only his eyes. He fought like a lion and paid enough attention to protect her and Merle but underneath he was tired and his strength seemed to drain out of him with every passing day.

His voice broke into her thoughts like summer rain. Warm and soft and unexpected. "What is it?"

Goosebumps covered her arms and she rubbed them absentmindedly. She looked him in the eyes, hoping to find confirmation that she was doing the right thing, that it was worth betraying her friend but there was only confusion and curiosity and a faint blush across the bridge of his nose. She couldn't even name what she was looking for.

Just thinking about it made the palms of her hands sweat and she started talking because she knew it would calm her and it would distract her from thinking about how she felt when he looked at her. "First off, try to keep away from Millerna. I don't know if you realized -- no," She held up her hand and a sardonic smile turned up the corners of her lips. "I know you are not aware that you insulted her gravely."

He scratched the back of his neck. Awkward. Uncomfortable. Was it because of her?

"Huh?"

Her hand drew an impatient arch in the air between them. She couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the hostility radiating off the princess. She must have burned him with her looks. "You announced her being engaged to Dryden at the court of Duke Chid."

Van's eyes widened, the surprise genuine. He made a disbelieving sound in the back of his throat. "She is angry about that?"

"If I said she was raving mad, it would be an understatement." Hitomi raised her eyebrows at his bewildered expression.

It wasn't the fact that the princess was angry at him – there were by far more people who would like to see him hang than he would have liked to – it was the reason for her anger that seemed to be a triviality to him. "But why?"

"You really don't understand, do you?" He had grown up among thieves and murderers, had learned from pirates in an environment that didn't care about bloodline. He had no idea about social status and the responsibility that came with power. Millerna would one day be the Queen of her people, a blunder like his could endanger her position. "This is about her father and her reputation."

The bewilderment vanished from his features as his eyes darkened. Disdain pulled at his upper lip. "I don't care about the reputation of a spoilt princess. It was important and it was urgent. The lives of thirty people were at stake and there was no time to waste. I couldn't possibly consider her feelings."

"You really don't care." She had spoken softly, her voice filled with surprise and disappointment. She took a step backwards and stared at him, wondering how she could have misjudged him that much.

"Do I look like I would?" He was suddenly angry, his words accusing. She realized she had assumed a secret and a promise would mean something to him. She had assumed him to be passionate and honorable because that was what she had wanted him to be. She had had a picture of him in her mind that was almost chivalrous, callous but fair. She didn't know how that picture came to be but she was surprised at how much it hurt to see it shattered. She had believed in him.

Van saw her retreat and quickly stepped around her, blocking her way. He wasn't finished and she wondered why he suddenly wanted to justify his actions. "People like her would hang people like me at the gallows if they had the chance to. I wasn't going to do her a favor by keeping her secret when it was our only way into the palace. She would have done the same, never doubt that."

The words cut deep. Hitomi knew better than anyone else that Millerna would sell her own grandmother to get what she wanted, that in fact, in some ways, she already had. But the princess was still Hitomi's best friend and Hitomi would always stand up for her and defend her. "But she helped you."

"Because she could gain something by it!" Van exploded. "Don't think she did it out of sheer generosity. Don't think of her as a saint. She is selfish just like anybody –-"

"How can you be like this?" she interrupted him, feeling her own anger simmering beneath her fingertips. But more than angry she was irrationally disappointed in him. And it made no sense because all he had done was not living up to the picture she had of him. A picture based on what? Idiotically romantic girl dreams? Her dreams?

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyeing her. "Like what? Honest?"

She shook her head, not letting him bait her with his sarcasm. She knew she was too vulnerable that moment. It hurt to admit his flaws and she couldn't say why. "So cold. You don't care at all."

She remembered his blank gaze in the harbor as he stood above two bodies. She shook her head to clear it of the image. As she looked at Van now there was no trace of blankness or emptiness, his features consumed by feeling. Anger.

He had been right. He was being honest. This was the most honest conversation she had had with him so far and she clung to it like a drowning man to driftwood. "I care about what matters to me. And she doesn't matter to me."

She wanted to hurt him the way he hurt her and she knew she couldn't. "Then you are just as selfish as you claim Millerna is."

His sudden laugh startled her and a smirk stretched his lips as if he could see right through her, as if he could see the picture she had painted of him and was enjoying to rip it apart. "I'm aware of that and I can admit it to myself. Can you? I promise you it'll make your life a whole lot easier."

He was right but she refused to admit it, refused to admit that Millerna was selfish and that she herself had idolized him, built a romantic fantasy about his persona that was as real as a mirage. But she would not let him know, would not give him the satisfaction.

The only way of defence was to channel her anger through him. She felt silly and naïve and it wasn't his fault but he was there in front of her, looking at her with eyes that could make her betray her own friends. "Listen to what you're saying! I can't believe that I defended you against her, that I came to warn you to stay out of her way."

His eyes widened briefly and the silence that stretched between them mocked her, telling her that she had said too much. She sighed. Frustrated. Defeated. The air was thickened with heat, making it harder to breathe. "Look, can we forget this part of the conversation? I didn't come here to fight you. I actually wanted to speak with you about the reading I promised."

The sun that fell through a few lone windows cast moving shadows on the ground as the hammocks swayed lazily with the movement of the ship. She regretted making the promise. She remembered his smile and wanted to bury her face in her hands, feeling embarrassed and mortified. Idiot, idiot, idiot.

"Hitomi..." He sighed and his features softened. It surprised her after his outburst.

She had hoped Van would see past her powers and would want her to stay despite them, like her for her not just because she was useful. She had been angry at him for not understanding her, for being like everyone else, for hurting her. But more than that she had been angry at herself. For hoping.

She shook her head and raised her hand to stop him when he attempted to say more. He was going to apologize, she could see it in his eyes. She didn't want his apology. It would make things worse. "No, I told you I would look into your past and I stay true to my word. My earlier actions don't change that."

She wasn't going to apologize for slapping him. He had deserved that one.

"I would understand if you didn't want to anymore. Please, don't feel obliged. I'll find out eventually." His voice was quiet. He shrugged and looked away when she turned her eyes on him. "Or maybe I'm not supposed to find out anyway. Maybe you were right. Maybe I won't like my past."

It was eating him up. Now more than ever. But now that the answers were so close he suddenly was afraid.

She envied him for it. He had something that pushed him when he hesitated, pulled him when he was tired, steadied him when he stumbled. Something that he was willing to fight for. A motivation. A destination. Reason.

She didn't have that. There was nothing that gave her a direction. But she didn't feel lost, just aimless. She was floating on her back on water, waiting for a current to pick her up and wash her ashore. But there was no current. She wished she had a reason as strong as his. A reason that would make her turn over and swim.

His reason didn't come easy, she knew that. He didn't know what would await him at the end of his path and he started to doubt. It was just natural. But she was willing to accept the conditions. She was willing to suffer if she had something to fight for.

She knew she would regret it later but she wanted to help him. "How about that? If you're ready to hear the answers, come and find me."

He nodded, not quite able to reign in his surprise and this time she smiled. He was still underestimating her, not quite believing she could be civil, not quite believing she was actually willing to. She must have left some impression since they had first met.

The thought made her pull a face. "Try to decide before all of this is over and I have to return home to be married off to who knows what my father's come up with in my absence."

"You still haven't understood." Van shook his head softly. There was a smile at the corners of his lips that was sad and resigned. "You have so many privileges and you don't even realize. You could do anything if you just knew what you wanted to do."

She had realized that. But somehow it didn't make her feel any better. Her father would never make her do anything she didn't want to do, wouldn't marry her off to someone she didn't love, wouldn't send her away when she wanted to stay. He would support whatever she decided to do but she was afraid to disappoint him. She was all he had and she wanted to make him proud. She was afraid nothing she chose would ever be good enough for him.

She couldn't disappoint her father and she couldn't go with Shephard and be unhappy. She didn't want to decide between either her freedom or her father's happiness. She hated herself for being a coward.

"I know."

His hand in her field of vision caught her attention. She looked up and found him holding his hand awkwardly out at her. "What's that? Some kind of truce?"

A smile that bordered on embarrassed was answer enough. His eyes averted, a faint blush across the bridge of his nose, she wanted to laugh in his face but felt that this was somehow important to him. "I didn't think there was anything to truce over. How old are you, five?"

He shrugged one shoulder and his eyes sparkled when he looked at her through his lashes. It did funny things to her heartbeat. "Humor me."

She grabbed his hand and the vision that hit her knocked her off her feet. It was as if a strong wind crushed against her, making it impossible to breathe. A familiar feeling of light-headedness and weightlessness washed through her. She had long stopped fighting it. She embraced the vision and let it take her away.

When she opened her eyes she found herself standing in a small brook. The water was cold and clear around her feet. She heard a splash and laughter and lifted her gaze.

Eyes so familiar. Van in all his carefree childishness, clasping a shiny grey fish in his tiny hands. She knew it was him although she didn't recognize the smile on his face. It was full of trust and void any pain and regret. It was directed at the man beside him. A man with aqua-blue hair. A man she knew from a previous vision.

_Brother, look at how big that fish is._

She gasped and opened her eyes. Despite the warmth that engulfed her, she shuddered. Van's arms tightened around her as she leaned heavily against him, breathing hard into his shoulder. Sweat tickled down her temples.

"Are you alright, Hitomi?"

It had been a good decision not to tell him about his past now. He wasn't ready for this. "Must be the heat."

He pushed her away softly and leaned down to look at her face. His eyes clearly told her he didn't believe her and the genuine concern on his features made her head spin even more.

"Really, I'm fine. Some fresh air and a glass of water will do." She needed more than just that but he didn't need to know.

She gave him a weak smile and turned to leave. Stars danced in front of her eyes when she collided with Merle who had come bouncing through the door at that moment. Stars and images. They flashed by with every blink of her eyes. Merle hiding in the shadows in a hallway. The man with aqua-blue hair. Tears in her eyes. _Van doesn't remember you, Folken._ His eyes cold. _Come with me. Please._

Merle glared at Hitomi as she walked gracefully around her into the room. Her posture was hostile. Van and Hitomi alone in the room didn't sit well with her.

Hitomi stared at the cat woman with wide eyes. Merle knew.

* * *

A/N: Argh, I apologize for taking so long yet again and for not replying to every review! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and I try to take more time to get back to you all. I'm glad this story is still being read ^^ Please, let me know if the story starts to get boring. I've read through it too many times, I don't see the wood for the trees _ Thank you!


	14. Tempest

Chapter 14 – Tempest

* * *

"I am disappointed."

The hard tapping noise of his boots against the floor boards accompanied Dryden as he paced in front of Allen in his cabin. Allen's black eye was impressive. Dryden glared. He was madder at Allen for getting under his skin than for his stubbornness.

The _Black Lady_ and the _Full Moon_ lay at anchor in the bay of an island where Allen had finally allowed filling up on fresh water. The last barrels were just being rowed back to the ship. It had been more than a week since they had fled the harbor of Godashim and the captain had refused to fill up on water and other supplies in all these days. They hadn't passed a single island on the entire way and Allen hadn't been willing to make a detour.

He had caved when both Ruhm and Dryden hadn't given him a choice anymore. Dryden wasn't easily ruffled. He had learned that anger and rash actions wouldn't get him anywhere. His father had been a good teacher. But this time he had had to hurt Allen. He had been more surprised than Allen, surely.

The captain merely raised his gaze at Dryden's words, his left eye swollen shut. "I've heard that one before."

Dryden glared. He would punch Allen again if it made a difference but he knew Allen wouldn't care. The captain would just take it in stride. "If you hadn't been such an idiot about filling up on fresh water, I wouldn't have had to punch you."

"Oh, now it's my fault." Allen leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Can't throw a punch and stomach it? Is your pacifist conscience too weak to bear it?"

A tired smile tugged at Dryden's lips. He wondered when Allen would finally accept Dryden's new life, wondered when he would realize that Dryden didn't raise to the bait anymore. He knew that this was what Allen wanted. Nag him, annoy him, try to get a rise out of him by bad-mouthing his decision.

Dryden couldn't remember how often he had tried to convince Allen that he had not lost his best friend to a woman. Allen didn't want to hear it and Dryden was getting tired of talking against a brick wall. Allen would understand. Eventually.

"This isn't a weekend foray, Dryden. We're not here to have fun and picnic whenever we feel like." Allen was angry, Dryden could sense it. The captain had hoped for a little verbal sparing because deep down in his black little heart he was missing Dryden and he would cut off his tongue before he ever admitted it. It probably annoyed him. The captain wasn't exactly keen on feelings that got in the way of his judgement.

"This is a race and there is no consolation prize for coming in second!" As if the volume of his voice wasn't enough to emphasize his words, Allen slammed his fist on the table.

Dryden frowned. Somehow the captain was slacking. Something must have gotten in the way of his judgement because he had never been this reckless. Allen had never risked the life of his crew for his own personal gain. "But even they need to fill up their stocks every once in a while."

Allen shrugged. "We've already lost too much time by getting arrested. We have to catch up as soon as possible."

„Do you even know where we are headed? This island isn't on any map. Are you sure it's there at all?"

Their fathers had never actually reached the island. Allen had been fed heroic stories when he had been a child but after all they were just lies. Their fathers had found the map in the leftovers of a wreckage and they had set out for the treasure. A storm struck before they even spotted land. They lost one friend to the sea and his crew and ship to those who had been following. They returned and gave the remaining pieces of the map to their sons in hopes they would continue where the fathers had failed.

His father's words rang loud and clear in Dryden's mind even after all these years. He had said the island had called him with the voice of a siren. That's why he knew it was there. Dryden remembered the look in the eyes of his father. Obsession.

When he was a child, Dryden had heard many stories about Atlantis. Like any boy this age he had been intrigued by the legends, the adventures they promised and the wealth and fame that would await those who found the cursed island.

His father had been sure that was where the map would lead them. He had been so convinced that he had left behind his only son and had risked his own life and the many lives of his crew.

Crazy old fool. Dryden shook his head and noticed the silence. He had been too caught up with his own thoughts to realize that Allen hadn't answered his question.

"Allen?"

The captain raised his head and Dryden recoiled when he saw the expression on his face. "It's calling me, Dryden."

"You are obsessed," Dryden snarled and took a step away from Allen. He wanted to knock some sense into this thick skull of his. He would lose his friend like he had lost his father. He saw it clearly and it scared him.

Allen stood and leaned across the table. "Don't tell me you can't hear it. I'm sure it's in your dreams as well. Don't lie to me."

Dryden's eyes widened. He had heard the voice of a woman. Faintly. He hadn't been able to make out the words. He had thought it was Millerna. He refused to believe he was going crazy like his old man. He wouldn't make his father's mistakes.

He sighed. "Is a chest full of gold really worth all these lives?"

"There are things more valuable than gold, Dryden." Allen walked to the windows at the back of his cabin and looked out astern. The sea lapped greedily against the hull of the motionless ship. He could see the beach that curled around the eastern cliffs of the island.

They had had to yaw and it didn't sit well with him. The detour would cost them another two days at least. He had been sure they would eventually cross an island on the original course and his disappointment had outweighed his anger when Ruhm and Dryden had rounded on him. Dryden didn't trust him anymore, thought Allen was going crazy, heard voices in his head, the fool. It hurt him more than he was willing to admit, even after all these years.

But the voices were as real as the bottle rum in front of him. They were sweeter than anything he had ever known. Every night he was hoping they would haunt his dreams, filling them with promises.

He was no fool. He knew that the voices were meant to lure him in but the difference was that he was coming willingly so he could sit back and enjoy. Every night they would come to him, a little clearer and a little louder than the night before, he would know they were on course.

But Dryden didn't understand. Dryden had given up on this life, it wasn't his purpose anymore. Dryden had found something else and had forgotten what the map meant to Allen. For Allen it was more than just following his father's dream. It was his chance to prove himself, to prove that he could be as good a pirate as his father, better even, prove that he was not worthless.

It was time to step out of a dead man's shadow. He would see for himself what drove his father, what made him abandon his family. Allen would decide if it had been worth it and he would finally come to rest.

"You know what it is. You know what we're going to find on that cursed island." It wasn't a question, it was an accusation. There was still restrained anger in Dryden's voice.

"No." Allen turned. "I just know it's not gold and jewels."

Dryden didn't seem surprised, just resigned. "You do know that your crew is expecting heaps of gold. They've suffered a lot and they want it to be worth their while. They might not be willing to go with you anymore once they find out."

Allen's eyes narrowed and hurt flared inside him. "Are you saying that they'd start a mutiny?"

Dryden held his hands up and shrugged. He knew it wasn't his place to judge and yet he did. "I'm just saying you should be careful with what you tell them. Don't get their hopes up."

"I trust my crew."

The words held so much more meaning, so many unspoken thoughts that weighed heavy on his mind. And he was sure Dryden knew because Dryden averted his eyes and took off his glasses to clean them meticulously on the lapels of his vest.

"Is there any land on our way at all?" Dryden stared at his glasses that didn't need cleaning in the first place. His change of topic was obvious and awkward but Allen didn't let himself be bothered with it. "The fresh water won't last us too long."

"I don't know. The maps don't say anything but then again I doubt that anyone has been sailing these waters before."

A smile tugged at the corners of Allen's lips. The unknown waters had never been his passion. He had never felt the urge to fill the blank spots on the maps. He preferred the waters that he knew like the back of his hand. It was safer. Predictable. Allen didn't like surprises. He didn't like not knowing where he was going. He didn't like not knowing what to expect. He liked to be in control of everything.

He would never let his crew know. They could smell fear and as soon as they felt that their captain was unsure about what he was doing, doubt would spread quickly. Doubt was like poison to the fragile net of trust that held his crew together. He couldn't and he wouldn't lose it.

He wouldn't even tell Dryden even if it meant he was betraying him. Dryden's eyes were expectantly fixed on him and Allen realized he hadn't noticed Dryden had asked a question.

"How much longer to the island?"

The captain shrugged. "Another week maybe? Depends on the wind and the water. They had reduced speed and two people were up in the crow's nest to look out for shallows and reefs. Allen had only little information about the nature of the ocean bed and they were running a high risk to run aground. He was dependent on the information their fathers had left on the map and he didn't like it one bit.

His father had controlled his life for too long, even after his death. It was time it all came to an end.

Dryden set his hands down on the table in front of Allen. "The stock won't last."

"I know, Dryden. I can't change it." Allen's voice had taken a sharp edge, impatient and annoyed. He knew what Dryden was going to get at and he refused to have anybody tell him what to do on his own ship. He gave orders, he didn't receive them. Dryden seemed to have forgotten a few things while leading an honest and decent life.

"You can calculate the stock and you'll know when we'll have to make a detour to fill up." The air had grown thick and heavy between them, both of them waiting for the other to make a mistake. Dryden had chosen his words carefully. It wasn't a request or even an advice. He was stating a mere possibility.

Allen stared at Dryden's hands, the fingertips starkly white as he grabbed the tabletop. He wondered why Dryden suddenly didn't trust him anymore. "Would it make you feel better if I promised I would even if it doesn't mean anything?"

All the tension left him in a breath. "Yes."

"You have my meaningless word then." Allen waved his hand airily, the stern expression on his features betraying his careless demeanour.

Dryden had already turned and walked to the door. He stilled on the threshold and spoke without turning around. "Thank you. At least, next time I can beat you for a reason."

* * *

Dryden found Millerna with the carrier pigeons. A white one sat perched on her finger, cooing quietly with its eyes closed as she stroked its feathers. Allen owned a few carrier pigeons, each trained for a different city. Two of the Pallas birds were missing.

"I can't recall Allen saying that he had planned to send a letter to Pallas." Dryden stopped in front of her and rested his shoulder against the wall, far enough away to not be tempted to touch her.

Something had happened in Godashim and he had to find out. It was important to her from the way she acted, from the way she hadn't yet told him. However, he didn't want to give Millerna the satisfaction of seeming curious. He had some dignity he wanted to preserve.

She didn't look up at him when she spoke, continuing to pet the bird. "I sent the letter. I don't think Captain Schezar will mind. He owes me."

He did, in fact, and he wasn't happy about it. Although Allen had somehow traded his freedom for hers and it seemed they had both benefited from the deal, the captain's dept weighed more.

"What brings you here, Dryden?"

Her words startled him. They were spoken quietly and deliberately. She knew exactly what he wanted and she was toying with him. He knew he deserved it to some extent. He might not exactly have lied to her for a solid five years but she didn't regard keeping a very important part of his past from her any higher than outright lying.

"You've been hiding for most of these last days. I wanted to see you." Those were the truest words he had told her in quite a while. He missed her, missed the time when she hadn't known who he had once had been, when she hadn't had a reason to mistrust him.

"I had some important things to settle." She still wasn't looking at him, her tone seemingly light and disinterested although he could tell she was anything but.

He ground his teeth and surrendered. His arms crossed in front of his chest he glared at her, mutely cursing her cunning everything under the sun. It was why he was still chasing after her but sometimes it drove him wild. "May I ask what suddenly was so important?"

Now she finally looked up at him and saw the grin she wasn't able to stop from tugging at the corners of her lips. "You may."

She wanted him to crawl on his knees and beg, he could see it in her eyes. "It doesn't concern Duke Chid, does it?"

He knew that Duke Chid had once proposed to her. He knew that she had declined. He knew nothing more. The jealousy he felt pumping through his veins rang loudly with every word. He couldn't control it and it visibly amused her. "In a way, yes."

His fists curled at his sides and he was amazed at the strength of the feeling. Not even Allen was able to get this far under his skin.

Millerna's features softened and she sighed. Somehow he had won and he had no idea how. "Dryden, if there is something you want to say, say it. I cannot read your mind."

Dryden uncurled his fists. He didn't want to be angry. She had every right to mistrust him. "What happened in Godashim?"

A lone sunbeam found its way through a crack in the boards. The light pooled at Millerna's feet and dust danced toward the ground. "Duke Chid asked me to talk my father out of starting a war."

Dryden's eyes widened. "But we've only been gone for a month and a half."

"It's frightening, yes." She let the bird hop back in its cage and rested her back against the wall. She looked tired.

Dust stirred on the ground and sparkled like fireflies in the light when Dryden crossed the room towards her and sat beside her. He felt drained now that there wasn't a reason for jealousy anymore. He felt silly and childish and in love. "I thought you didn't want to get involved with your father's politics."

"I might have changed my mind. I had a talk with Duke Chid. He made me realize a few things." She took his hand as he held his open palm out to her.

When she had told him she would leave the court of Asturia and refuse the crown he had tried to reason with her. Not because he sought fame and wealth. Of both, he had enough to last him two lifetimes. No, he had known he wouldn't be able to make her happy all by himself, she needed her people. But he had promised himself to support her no matter her decision. "Such as..."

Millerna rolled her head to the side and looked at him, tired but determined. She had dust on her lashes and feathers in her golden hair. "I have a responsibility but it doesn't have to be a burden. I am going to be Queen but under my conditions."

Dryden chuckled and kissed the back of her hand. She seemed so sure. He was elated with relief. "So, you'll want to return home after all. Do you think you can change things in Asturia while you're with us? You know you cannot receive any letters while we're sailing."

"I know." She curled her fingers into his palm. "I don't expect a reply. I didn't even tell my father were we are now. I just sent a second letter, ensuring that he realizes I'm not joking this time."

"Why didn't you go back to Asturia when you had the chance in Godashim? The threat of war seems imminent."

He would be lying if he said he wasn't glad to have her so close to himself and his past, finding her accepting it slowly. But the pleasant calm of the journey would be over too soon. He felt it in the air like the static power of an incoming thunderstorm.

"I have to make sure my future King returns from his adventure safe and sound." She smiled at him and closed her eyes. "Apart from that I feel like I can't turn around anymore anyway. Hitomi says that the island wants all of us to find it, that our fates are now closely interwoven. And I can feel the pull."

Dryden averted his eyes. So Millerna could feel it as well. Maybe he should admit that this time, they had no choice, that for now they were at the mercy of something else. He dropped his head against the wall behind him and exhaled. Millerna's hand was warm and soft in his.

He would not surrender.

* * *

She didn't like the captain. She couldn't read him. She would usually know what people thought, if they lied. She could smell if they were nervous or anxious, she could detect unconscious movements and usually she dreamed of a person before she met them. She had dreamed of Folken. She had seen him, an angel coming to save her, she who had never believed she deserved saving. And she could read him, knew what was going on behind his eyes, she just couldn't do anything about it.

But she had never dreamed of the captain. She had never had a single vision of him. She couldn't smell him, she couldn't see him, there was nothing behind his eyes. To her and her senses, he virtually didn't exist.

And she would be lying if she said it didn't affect her. She relied on her senses, and even more on her visions. With most people she knew what to expect, knew what they intended, why they sought her out. With the captain there was only silence. She didn't know what he felt, what he thought, what he longed for. It made him unpredictable and dangerous.

She was uncomfortable around him. She couldn't place him, couldn't put him in one of her categories.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, Seer?" He sat hunched over a table strewn with books. He didn't look up, merely leafed through a leather-bound book with yellowed pages.

Naria narrowed her eyes at him. What was he getting at? She reported her visions regularly. When he had a request, when he had a question, he would tell her. "No, there is nothing. The visions haven't changed."

The silence was heavy when he stopped leafing through his book and the rustle of the pages stopped. He folded his hands and looked at her with his unreadable eyes. "Do you know what awaits us on the island?"

She was weary. She didn't want to say anything wrong. Only she didn't know what was the wrong thing to say. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" She was the sole focus of his attention and it was almost unbearable. He rarely looked at her when he spoke with her or with Folken. He was either reading or looking out the window. Never looked at her. And now he wished he wasn't. She wanted to avert her eyes but she couldn't. She wanted to turn away but she couldn't. His stare was so intense that she squirmed. It felt as if he was seeing her every thought, her every secret, felt as if he was reaching for her soul.

"I think it is dangerous." She could barely get the words out. When he averted his eyes she almost crumbled to the floor. As if he had held her up, trapped against the wall. She breathed in deeply.

"Do you see anything beyond the island?" He was leafing through his book again. "Anything that happens after?"

"No, but –-"

"Thank you." He interrupted her with a quick motion o his hand and she clamped her lips together. "You may go."

Red hot anger burned inside her and made her hands shake. She curled her fingers into her palms as her head swirled with all the things she wanted to tell him, all the things she couldn't tell him. Her lips were pressed to a thin line when she merely nodded her head and left the cabin.

She was sick and tired of letting him use her like a tool, of doing his every wish and obeying to his every bidding. But she knew that whatever she said to him, he would not care. Her idle threats could never impress him. He knew she would never leave the ship alone. It angered her even more.

"Naria, why haven't you told him?"

Naria was startled out of her thoughts and she looked up to find her sister Eriya leaning against the wall in the shadows at the end of the hallway. Looking around she found herself deep inside the belly of the ship. Lost in her angry thoughts she hadn't realized where she had been walking.

When Eriya stepped out of the shadows there was a disapproving frown on her features and Naria's eyes narrowed. "How would you know that I haven't told him?"

"Because the future hasn't changed."

Naria laughed bitterly. The naivety of her sister astounded her. How could she still believe in the common sense of the people who had kept them as prisoners, pets and toys for all these years? "You think he would have changed his mind if I had told him?"

Eriya stepped closer and the only noise was the gentle swish of her dress. It seemed as if even the ship was holding its breath. "He has the right to choose and therefore he needs to know."

Naria averted her eyes. It hurt, seeing her sister's hopeful expression, hearing the determined tone of her voice. Eriya believed in these people, in their future. She believed so strongly that they would choose the right way that she couldn't see that they might still choose the wrong one. Failure was not an option for her anymore.

In the end, she would only get hurt. Hurt so badly that she would never recover. Eriya was destroying herself without noticing it and all Naria could do was watch. The silver twin felt the back of her eyes prick with imminent tears. It was so unfair and it made her sad and angry and frustrated. Frustrated mostly because her sister refused to listen to her, refused to even consider what she had to say.

How could the two of them be so alike and yet so different? Why couldn't her sister see? Why couldn't Eriya see that Naria only wanted the best for her, that she only wanted to protect her?

She steeled her voice as she spoke, veiling her broken words with coldness. "I did, in fact, tell him that there was nothing we could see coming after the events on the island. Only he did not interpret it the way we do. He thinks that the island shields the future and therefore we cannot see anything."

Naria was sure it wasn't that the island veiled the future but that seeing nothing meant that there would be no more future after what was going to happen on the island. It scared her.

"You could have explained it!" Eriya exploded, her cheeks flushed with indignation.

"I owe him nothing!" Naria snarled and glared at her sister.

Their frustration with each other was palpable in the silence between them. Both of them wanted to convince the other but they were both deaf to the other's arguments.

"We owe him our lives." Eriya finally spoke, her voice soft, pleading, willing her sister to understand. "He took us in, he gave us shelter."

"He's using us." Naria averted her eyes. She could no longer bear to look into Eriya's hopeful eyes, knowing there was no way to get through to her.

With the years on board this ship, Naria had heard and seen enough that she had come to believe that the death of their parents might not have been an accident, that it might not have been a coincidence that Folken had found them. But she couldn't tell Eriya. Her sister wouldn't understand, didn't want to understand. "We're slaves of the mind, that's all we are to him. He doesn't care."

"That still doesn't give you the right to lie."

Naria shrugged. "I didn't lie. I just did not mention the entire truth."

The silver twin suddenly looked up, startled, when Eriya's slim fingers closed tightly around her arm. "We can't interfere."

Naria angrily shrugged her off. "Whoever said that? Why do we have this ability if we can't use it?" She saw red and couldn't stop the words that came out of her mouth, words that ate away at her and only fed her anger, words she had wanted to speak for a long time but never had the courage to voice them. "I'm sure you would think differently if you didn't have something that kept you here."

"You're just jealous that Folken chose me!" Eriya was so quick to reply that it felt as if the words had been on her mind for too long as well. She stepped closer and bared her teeth as she spoke. "I see the way you look at him. I know what you feel because it is exactly what I feel for him."

The truth hurt worse than Naria had expected. She couldn't mask her expression quickly enough and her pain must have shown clearly for Eriya clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide in shock. She regretted what she had said, it was written all over her face. It didn't, however, make her words any less true.

"Do you enjoy it?" Naria's voice was cold as she looked at her sister. The urge was strong to cause her just as much pain. For now it was enough to know that she could, if she wanted to. "What does it feel like to be so much luckier than I am, to be so much happier and content?"

"Naria..." Eriya reached out a hand, her eyes sad and full of regret, but Naria stepped away from her.

"You disappoint me, sister." The back of her eyes pricked and she fought down the tears.

"Yes, because I'm not what you want me to be!" Eriya's voice had risen with every word. There was so much anger in her tone that it surprised Naria. "I know what you're thinking. It's written all over your face every time you look at me. You should know by now that you cannot keep secrets from me just like I cannot keep secrets from you."

Naria averted her eyes. She hadn't expected to be so easy to read, had thought she was able to conceal her feelings, mask her anger and disappointment. She had underestimated her sister and the link they shared. It was one of those moments when she wished they weren't sisters, weren't twins, weren't seers, wished they could lie to each other.

It felt like the moment she had realized Folken would never belong to her and Eriya had looked at her and had known and the pity in her eyes was worse than any humiliation she had ever had to endure.

"But I'm not like you." Eriya's voice was softer now and she smiled sadly when Naria looked up. "I'm not strong. I'm not brave enough to fight. We're so different."

"No, we're not." She knew the answer to the question she was going to ask but she needed to hear it from her sister. "Would you come with me if I left this ship, these people?"

The silence said more than all her words ever could. She shouldn't be disappointed. She shouldn't be hurt. She shouldn't be jealous. But although she had expected it, Naria had still hoped. She couldn't help but hope that maybe Eriya would decide in favour of her sister, that she would leave everything behind for her, that she would make the sacrifice.

Naria knew she would make that sacrifice herself for her sister. And it was painful to accept that Eriya would not make it for her. She would make it for someone else. They weren't so different after all.

"No, you wouldn't. You would stay because of him. And I'm staying because of you." As much as she wanted to hate her sister for betraying her like that, she couldn't make herself. She loved Eriya with all her flaws and selfishness. It was okay to love her more than she was getting in return. It wasn't about being loved. "See, we're both stupid."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. But I forgive you anyway." Naria looked at her sister, her tears dried before they had been able to fall. "Have you never wondered what would happen if we acted instead of merely watching?"

"I have." Eriya rubbed her arms absentmindedly and Naria noticed the goose bumps there. "But there is a reason why we aren't allowed to. It is too much power for a single person. It has always been. It is a responsibility."

Naria wondered what her sister was afraid of. She had to be curious. Didn't she want to know why they shouldn't interfere? Didn't she want to know if they actually had a choice? Didn't she want to break out? "I am tired of being his toy."

"You should still tell him what we saw."

There was that disapproving, patronizing tone again and Naria could barely suppress a snarl. "It's not certain, Eriya. It changes. The future is so fickle; I've never seen anything like it before. The moment I tell him, it's going to change again."

"You know what I think?" Eriya had circled around her so that they stood shoulder to shoulder, not touching, looking in opposite directions. "I think it's because of you."

Naria turned her head and stared at her sister's profile. "What is because of me?"

"The instability. You are changing your mind continuously. That's why you can't see anything." And with that Eriya left her standing in the hallway. The gentle swish of her dress was the only noise in the twilight as she walked away.

* * *

Merle watched where the stars dipped into dark water. The constellations had slightly changed, familiar ones had vanished and some had appeared that she didn't recognize at all. She had never been so far south. Allen had never sought out adventures but rather sailed His Gulf, as he liked to call it, familiar waters, waters where he knew the trading routes and hiding places, waters where he could ensure enough raid to feed his crew.

She was leaning over the railing and felt the spray on her face. It was quiet, most of the crew asleep under deck. Pulleys clinked and the water splashed against the hull of the ship.

The silence had woken her. She had missed Van's steady breathing beside her and found his hammock empty. Again. She hadn't heard him slipping out. She wondered if he had come to bed at all. He had been out these last nights and she couldn't remember if he had slept through a whole night since they had left Godashim. She wasn't sure if he had slept before that.

He tried to hide it, tried to smile and laugh at her jokes, tried to listen to her but she saw how tired he was, could smell it on him. His body craved sleep and he wouldn't let himself. Sometimes she found him in the middle of the day, asleep in a corner of the ship somewhere, wherever he had had to give in. She watched him then. It was a restless sleep and he would wake up screaming or shaking. She didn't ask him about it, she didn't need to. She knew what was keeping him awake, knew what made him afraid to fall asleep.

She leaned her head against the railing and sighed. With every passing hour they were getting closer to their destination, further south to a place that couldn't be found on any map but one. She had burned that map but she could recall every line of ink, every curve of every coastline and number. She had drawn that map for Dornkirk, she had drawn it for Allen and now both ships were racing each other.

She didn't know what awaited them. She didn't care. She had never understood it. She lived this life because of Van, not out of conviction. And even Van wasn't completely convinced of this way of life. Out of necessity it had become a habit but nothing more. He respected it but it hadn't touched his soul. He wasn't at home at sea. It was in the way he isolated himself and kept his distance to the crew and their zeal. He wasn't one of them and he never would be. It was like he felt that there was another life for him out there, like he felt that he belonged somewhere else.

It hurt her that she had to lie to Van. It hurt her that she knew all the answers to his questions but couldn't tell him. She didn't want the memories that he was seeking. But she didn't have a choice.

The wind carried a soft noise and her ears twitched when she picked it up. She turned and narrowed her eyes at the spot where a weight had been shifted, clothes had been ruffled, a breath had been taken, a heart was beating. Hitomi.

Hitomi stepped out of the shadows where Merle's cat eyes had found her easily through the darkness. She stopped a few feet away from the cat-girl and stared at her. Merle growled. Everything about Hitomi made her hair stand on end. The way she walked, the way she talked, the way she would sit in a room and stare and make Merle feel uncomfortable.

There was nothing special about that girl and yet she made Merle act in ways as if she had to prove something. She didn't want to admit it to herself but Hitomi was a rival. And the way Van reacted to her didn't help at all.

She had noticed how the relationship between them had changed. He had clearly disliked the girl in the beginning but Merle had felt that beneath his scorn and dislike, he had been the tiniest bit intrigued. Hitomi could handle a sword. She knew Vargas. She was a seer. She had saved Merle's life. Now the balance had changed and his curiosity for Hitomi outweighed his dislike. He hadn't noticed it but Merle saw it in the way he looked at Hitomi.

It was the way Merle wished he would look at her. She had been hoping for a long time that he would finally open his eyes and look at her, really look at her, and see what other men saw in her.

She was grateful for his utter trust in her, she knew it didn't come easily. She was grateful for the memories they shared, for the ease of their companionship. But she was willing to sacrifice all that if he would stop seeing her as family, as someone akin to a sister.

Hitomi's scent distracted her. The girl was nervous. Merle could smell it from across the deck.

"What do you want?" Her voice was hostile and cold. She didn't have to play pretend with Hitomi. The girl knew Merle couldn't stand her.

Hitomi hesitated, as if she was still deciding what to do. And then her lips thinned and her hands curled to fists at her side. "I want to know why you keep Van's past to yourself."

The words were like a punch in the stomach and all the color drained from Merle's face. "What are you talking about?"

"I know your dirty little secret." Hitomi narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. Her heartbeat steadied. "I saw you with his brother. I know that you're just pretending."

Hitomi's lips curled in a satisfied smile when she saw the expression on Merle's face. It was the expression of a culprit. Guilt. "You know who you are. You know who he is. I just don't know why you have kept it from him all this time."

"You know nothing." The words came out as a snarl as her lips peeled back over her teeth. Merle listened into the darkness, listening for a ruffle of clothes, a breath, a heartbeat, anything that would give away someone overhearing this conversation.

Only when she was sure that the man on duty was out of earshot and everyone else fast asleep, did she allow herself to feel disbelief. Merle's thoughts were running haywire as she tried to think of how Hitomi could have possibly found out. Her main worry had been about keeping the secret from Van, never that a third person could find out. Allen knew but that was it. He'd seen the crest on Van's sword and had come to the right conclusion.

Hitomi squared her shoulders and stepped closer. "I know what I saw. Why are you lying to him?"

It was not her place to judge. It was not her secret to know. She had no right to accuse Merle. "That is none of your business and you better stop poking your nose in things you have no clue about."

Merle's anger rang loud and clear with her words. She didn't care if she had to scream into Hitomi's face to make her understand and was disappointed when the girl didn't respond with equal vigor. Hitomi seemed to sense that yelling wouldn't get her anywhere, that yelling was what Merle expected her to do.

Instead her voice was soft, pleading. "It's eating him up. He doesn't sleep, did you know that? And he doesn't even smile at you anymore. You care about him. How can you bear that?"

Merle snarled and her hands curled to fists at her side. "Do you think it's easy? You've known him for a mere month. I've known him my entire life and I have been keeping this secret ever since. Do you think it's easy?"

The compassion Hitomi showed only fuelled Merle's anger. She wouldn't care if the girl felt so strongly about her own family, her country, her way of life. She wouldn't care if Hitomi felt so strongly about Allen, or Gaddes, or anyone else, anyone else but Van.

Jealousy flared white-hot inside Merle. Hitomi had no right to care. "How do you know? How did you find out?"

"I've had visions. I saw how Van met the blue haired man in that cave. I saw Van when he was young, calling the man his brother. And then I saw you, talking to Folken, begging him to stay with you."

Merle's eyes widened. Visions. So, the girl could see the future and the past and still she couldn't see everything. She had seen mere glimpses, a part of a picture that was so much bigger than she could ever grasp.

"So you see that the situation is quite complicated." Her laugh was humorless and echoed dully across the deck. "Believe me there is not one day that I don't think about telling him, that I don't feel guilty."

"But then why, Merle?" Merle wanted to shake Hitomi's sympathy off like an unwanted hand placed soothingly on her arm.

"You said you saw it. You know about his brother. Would you tell him?" Merle hesitated as she realized what it meant to have another one know. Allen had promised to keep the secret and she believed him. Merle suspected that Allen didn't care either way. "Are you going to tell him?"

Hitomi bit her lip and averted her eyes, staring off into the darkness. The silence stretched as Merle watched her, waiting for the slightest movement on her face that would give away her thoughts, that would give away her intent.

Relief washed through Merle when she saw the doubt on Hitomi's face. She knew that Van would find out eventually, knew that he would one day realize that she had been lying to him all this time, pretending. But it didn't have to be now. Merle would move heaven and earth to keep the secret as long as possible, pretend as long as possible.

Because she knew that if he ever found out, he would not forgive her. He had only ever trusted one person in his life and that person was abusing his trust. She didn't want to imagine that moment; it was in her dreams constantly, in her nightmares.

It wasn't necessary that he found out so soon. They were content here where they were now. The life he had forgotten would only cause him more pain. It wasn't what he was hoping for. Ignorance is bliss.

Merle broke the silence harshly, feeling more secure now as she saw that Hitomi was just as weak. "And there is so much more that you don't know. Van is so much more than he thinks he is. We're protecting him. It's better for him to not know."

Hitomi's eyes narrowed and Merle knew she had said too much. "Who else knows?"

"Allen knows. Some. Not all of it." She wondered how the girl had found out and when. And how much she knew. "How long have you known and when did you find out?"

"I..." Hitomi hesitated and Merle wondered why. "After we left Godashim. When I touched Van I saw him when he was younger, catching fish with his brother. And then I stumbled into you and I saw how you met Folken."

Hitomi had waited for more than a week to confront Merle about it. Why had she waited for so long? Why confront her now? And she didn't seem to know everything, hadn't managed to sneak into all of Merle's memories. The cat-woman shuddered. She didn't like the idea of someone prying in her mind for memories. It was too private, too personal.

"Don't you think he has a right to know? Don't you think he should decide?" There she was again, all self-righteous, as if she had never lied, had never made mistakes.

"No." Merle remembered the words of the seers she had met on the Oscuridad. She remembered what they had said about their powers, about them not being allowed to interfere. Did the same apply to Hitomi?

But if it applied to her as well, if she had known she wasn't allowed to act, Merle wouldn't be here now. Van had told her that she owed her life to Hitomi. She rather not know.

Merle averted her eyes, angry. Angry because she couldn't be mad at Hitomi, because she owed her life to the girl, angry because Hitomi wasn't expecting anything in return. "You don't know the whole picture. Just stay out of it."

"Merle, I ..."

Something caught Hitomi's eye and she trailed off. She looked up and her eyes widened when feathers rained down around her. They were snow-white, illuminating the darkness around them. She caught one with her hands and marvelled at its softness. There was something in Merle's eyes that she couldn't place.

The cat-woman turned her head and Hitomi started when someone suddenly dropped down beside her from a spar above. The scream never left her lips when she recognized Van who stepped beside her, facing Merle.

"Merle." It wasn't a greeting. It was a warning. Merle had noticed how he had stepped between her and Hitomi, shielding the girl, sensing the tension between the two women. And he wanted Merle to back down.

Merle narrowed her eyes at him and her voice was acid. She was hurt that he was protecting Hitomi from her. As if there was a need. As if it were his job. As if he cared. "It's alright, Van. She was just about to leave."

He turned to look at Hitomi and something passed across his face when he saw the feather she had unconsciously clasped against her chest. Something that made Merle recoil.

"I better go." Hitomi hesitated a moment before she broke eye contact and stepped away from Van. She cast Merle a meaningful look, one he did not miss. "Good night."

As soon as Hitomi was out of earshot Merle rounded on Van, her nails sinking into his shoulder. "Have you been eavesdropping?"

Her heart thudded wildly, the blood roaring in her ears. What if he heard what they had been talking about?

Genuine hurt passed across his face at the accusation. He shrugged off her hand. "No, I just got back."

The relief that washed through her almost made her cry. She wasn't ready to face his anger yet. She reached out her hand and touched his arm, making him stop. A moment of hesitation and then she heard him sigh and knew they were okay.

His embrace was warm and familiar when she leaned against him and his arms circled around her. "You should be more careful. She could have seen you." Merle pressed her face against his chest. She didn't want Hitomi to know. It was the only secret he only shared with her. "Where did you go?"

His hand stroked her hair. She closed her eyes and heard his voice rumble in his chest. "Not far. There is nothing out here."

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" She was hurt. It felt like he didn't trust her.

"I had to think." His hand stilled on her head. "I wanted to be alone."

Merle pushed slightly away and looked up at him. With her fingertip she softly traced the dark circles under his eyes. "Van, you need to sleep. You look so tired."

He took her hand in his and shook his head. "There is no time now. We better wake the crew. A storm is brewing in the south and it's going to strike before sunrise."

* * *

The storm struck before dawn in the darkest hour of the night, just as Van had predicted. It was by far stronger than he had hoped.

It started with a light rain that barely stirred the sea but soon the wind grew stronger and the rain harder. The clouds covered up the moon and soaked up all the light. There was no difference between the sky and the sea, there was no up and down, there was only wind and water and the hope to make it through in one piece.

The rain hammered heavily onto the deck and the wind roared and tore at the sails. Waves mercilessly pounded the hull of ship and sent it swaying and staggering along its course. Lightning split the sky.

Van was in the rigging, trying to save what the storm hadn't yet torn to shreds. The sails were soaked through, heavy with water and they were barely managing to strike them. The wind whipped cold rain into his face and he felt the drops like needles against his skin. He worked without seeing what his hands were doing. He could barely open his eyes against the rain.

He had tied himself to the spar with a rope and he could feel the storm tearing at his clothes, intent on throwing him off the spar. There had been storms, bad ones, storms that had seemed to last forever. This one was different. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

A few lamps had been lit on deck and on the spars but the light was almost completely soaked up by the darkness around them. He could make out blurred shapes on the ground below him but couldn't hear anything above the roar of the wind. When he had fastened the sail to the spar, he untied himself and went back down to find Allen.

He stumbled into Gaddes wrapped in an oil jacket. Van had discarded his own and was drenched to his bones. "Where is Allen?"

A wave hit the bulwarks on the starboard side and the water poured across the deck like a river. It washed the ground from under Van's feet and he held onto a pile of boxes.

Gaddes scrambled to his feet. "Cap'n's with Kio, trying to keep the course. Tie yourself to the mast, dammit, or you'll be washed off the deck."

The wind changed its direction and the rhythm of the waves shifted. They stopped tossing the ship around like a toy and instead grew the size of mountains. After tying one of the ropes that were fastened to the main mast around his waist, Van climbed the stairs to the helm. He had to hold onto the railing tightly to remain on his feet. Lightening split the sky and he stared when a wall of water suddenly appeared out of the darkness.

The ship climbed steadily and when they had reached the crown Van saw in the brief moment that lightning danced across the sky once more that they were being pushed into a mountain range made of water. It stretched to the horizon, cluttered with peeks and valleys and gorges. The waves were higher than he had ever seen them, towering above the ship, looking like made of bricks, the water almost vertical before they broke.

Van stumbled to the rudder as the ship slid down the lee of the wave. The waves would crush the ship, it was only a matter of bad timing.

"Allen!" he yelled and slipped on the wet ground. He could taste blood where he had bitten his tongue as he had fallen.

"Van, go under deck!" Allen didn't look up. He was braced against the rudder, trying to make the ship stay on course.

"There is still sail to strike. Where did everybody go?" Van had to shout although he was standing right beside Allen. The wind still tore most of the words straight away from his lips, never to be heard.

Allen turned his head. "The sails are lost. You'll be blown away if you try to strike them. Go under deck and secure the cargo. It's no good if we keel over because of loose boxes."

An order was an order but it had Van worried because, so far, Allen had never sacrificed the sails. He stumbled down the stairs onto the main deck and ran into someone cloaked in a bright yellow oil jacket. The shoulders were frail as he grabbed them and he recognized Hitomi under the oil hat.

He felt an irrational amount of panic sweep through him as he held her tightly while trying to keep his balance. The ship was bucking beneath his feet like a wild horse and there was no rope around her waist that tied her to the ship. "What are you doing out here?"

"There is water down in the cabins!"

Her lips were moving but he couldn't hear a sound. He had to strain his ears to hear her and leaned in closer. "What?"

She clutched at his waist to stop herself from falling. He could feel her cold lips at the shell of his ear. "Water. Under deck."

His eyes widened. Had the sea torn a hole in the ship? Maybe a wave had smashed a window. He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards Gaddes who was tying up boxes still. "Gaddes! We're going under deck to take care of the water."

Thunder and lightning clashed above him and as he looked up, his jaw dropped. A wave like a solid wall was approaching and he instantly knew that they wouldn't be able to pass without getting crushed if Allen left the ship parallel. The wave would break above their heads and smash the _Lady_ in halves. He took off and stumbled back across the deck towards the helm. His yells were drowned in the roaring of the wind and in water.

He slipped on the wet deck twice before he was close enough for the men to hear him. "Allen, Kio, to starboard!"

Allen and Kio looked at Van, looked in the direction he was pointing and threw themselves against the rudder. The ship obeyed reluctantly and turned sharply. They were riding the wave now, going with the current. The stern of the _Lady_ lifted as the bow fell with the swell of solid water that was steadily catching up with them. He could feel the water roll beneath the ship and he knew they were too slow. He encircled the railing with both arms, holding on tightly. He saw Hitomi stumble and Gaddes trying to catch her, then the wave broke above their heads.

The noise of the wind was instantly gone, replaced by eerie aquatic silence. He felt the water push up his nose, felt it pull at his arms, his clothes, its watery arms circling tightly around his ribcage and pressing the air from his lungs.

The pressure was suddenly gone and he gasped for air, looking down at the deck below. Gaddes and a few other men lay tumbled in a heap between a few boxes. Hitomi's bright yellow oil jacket wasn't among them. His heart raced as his eyes searched wildly. He found her clinging to the bulwarks, the lower half of her body dangling into the sea. His cold fingers held the hilt of his sword tightly as he cut the rope that bound him to the ship.

It all happened quickly. His heart sank when the ship dipped on port and Hitomi's fingers slipped off the bulwarks. The sea swallowed her greedily and without thinking, Van flung himself off the afterdeck towards the place where he had watched Hitomi disappear.

He didn't hear Merle's cry of utter anguish as she stumbled on deck and saw him jump, didn't see Gaddes barely able to get a hold of the cat woman as she tried to hurl herself over the guardrail.

Van didn't see or hear anything, he only felt the impact as he hit the water. It was like a blow to his entire body. A wave tugged him down at once and he fought, gasping as he broke the surface.

"Hitomi!"

He turned, treading water, trying to keep his balance as the sea frothed angrily around him. He spotted her flailing arms shortly before another wave pressed her down. She was gone when he reached the spot where he had seen her. He inhaled and dove. His arms reached blindly out in front of him and his fingers instantly curled when they hit an obstacle.

Her oil jacket slipped through his fingers and he went up again, gulping air as fast as he could. He dove for her a second time and felt the strength drain quickly out of his legs. He felt her at his fingertips and with one last stroke he could wrap an arm around her. She was heavy as he pulled her with him. Through the churning water he saw lightning illuminate the clouds. The surface was close.

When he emerged again, coughing salt water and gasping for breath, there was only wet darkness around him.

* * *

Hitomi awoke to sand beneath her cheek and a beast of a headache. She dug the heels of her hands into her eyes until she saw swirling colors. The pain that pressed against her forehead only increased. With a moan she opened her eyes and squinted against the sunlight.

Above the dull thud of her headache she heard the gentle swish of the sea. Waves rolled softly onto a white beach, nipping at her toes. She sat up and images of the night before tumbled down on her like bricks. She held her head in her hands and gasped for breath. They didn't make sense.

"Good morning."

She whirled around, a scream stuck in her throat. Van sat in the sand behind her. Barefoot, holding a fruit out to her that looked vaguely familiar.

"Piscus. A little sour but it'll quench some of your thirst." He nudged her with the fruit when all she did was stare and she automatically took it only to put it down on the ground beside her.

"What are you doing here? What are we doing here?" She looked around and took in the beach that stretched on forever and then curled around a cliff, took in the palm trees that bowed deeply until their leaves almost touched the ground, took in the silence. "What happened?"

With a few, quick words Van summed up the events of the night before and her eyes widened. She was on her feet instantly.

"I --…what?!" She swayed, dizzy in the head. Van stood to steady her but she pushed him forcefully away. "And you jumped after me? Why would you do that? Were you out of your mind?"

Van narrowed his eyes as he caught her wrists before she could beat his chest. She groaned and shook her head.

His tone was dry when he spoke. "I apologize for saving your life."

"You don't understand. Merle is going to skin me alive." Hitomi stared at the turquoise sea that stretched to the horizon, flat and smooth like the surface of a mirror. There was nothing out there, no islands, no rocks, no ship. "If I ever see her again that is."

Van stepped beside her and held the piscus out in front of her again. She took it and realizing how thirsty she was, downed the sour liquid inside the fruit. "What now?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

A/N: Yes yes, that was quick. I'm just as surprised as you are :P Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed! I'm looking forward to reading what you think ^^

The title of the chapter came to my mind when thinking of that same play by Shakepeare, yes. It has nothing to do with the chapter though. Just to clear that up.

On a second note, for all you pirate lovers out there, the best pirate video game (and one of the best video games in general) has been revamped and is available for purchase again: The Secret of Monkey Island is back! Guybrush Threepwood has never looked better ^^ So if you're up to fighting bloodthirsty piranha poodles, insulting the sword master right out of her socks and sail to Monkey Island (tm) to rescue your one true love out of the clutches of the evil ghost pirate LeChuck, then this should be on your wish list to Santa, arrr.


	15. Driftwood

Chapter 15 – Driftwood

* * *

Hitomi lay sprawled out in the sand, staring up at the sky. She couldn't believe she had gone overboard in that storm, couldn't believe she had been washed ashore this godforsaken island like driftwood, couldn't believe she had survived. For not knowing where she was with no possibility to leave, she felt alarmingly calm. She had thought she would either end up screaming and crying or laughing hysterically. It must be shock.

She didn't feel the slightest bit of panic or desperation at the hopelessness of their situation. Her mind was oddly clear, her senses sharp. It was almost like a dream from which she would wake any minute. Only her bruises from where she had hit the bulwarks of the _Lady_ and her sore throat from vomiting sea water all morning were too painful to be a dream.

There were only bits and pieces she remembered of that night. She remembered stumbling across the deck, she remembered the wall of water that hit the ship, remembered clinging to the bulwarks, remembered swallowing so much sea water that her vision turned black.

She held up her hand against the setting sun and stared at the myriads of splinters that were stuck in her palm. Tiny brown dots, all swollen red and hurting even when she didn't move her hands. She spread her fingers and the sun peeked through between them, the entire sky on fire in oranges and violets.

Beside her the bones of some kind of fish had turned black over the smoldering ashes of a few dry branches. Van had caught the fish with his bare hands in the shallow waters of the bay.

Upon waking at the beach, disoriented and confused, she had been mad at Van for being there, for risking his life to save her, for making her responsible for his well-being. Half a day and a decent meal later she was glad he had jumped after her. He had caught the fish with ease and endless patience and had found the stream as if he had smelled it. But she would starve before she told him that.

They had spent most of the day exploring their immediate surroundings but there was nothing, nobody else but the two of them. They had decided to set out in an attempt to cross the island the next day, in hopes of finding something or someone that would enable them to leave this place. Van was hoping for some kind of lookout. She was hoping for a miracle.

Judging by the position of the sun, he had been gone for almost an hour. She wasn't worried. Van could surely take care of himself. Dusting the sand off her pants, she rose to tend to the fire. She blew into the ashes and added dry wood that she found where the beach grew softly into a lush forest.

She didn't know how long she had stared into the fire but when she looked up, the sun had already set, a sliver of faint blue the last remainder of the day. Van's silhouette was black against the fading light as he stood above her, a dead bird the size of a turkey slung over his shoulder.

"Thanks for tending to the fire." He dropped the bird onto the ground beside her. Feathers were stuck in his hair, dirt smeared across his cheeks.

"Thanks for getting dinner. And breakfast and lunch for tomorrow." She pointedly looked at the huge bird and then back at him and saw the tight lines in his face relaxing. It wasn't a smile but it was a start. If she was stuck with him for an infinite amount of time, she needed him to lighten up or she would tear his head off sooner than later.

"How far did you go?" She poked the bird. It was already cold.

"I went up the stream for a little while." He hesitated and she looked at him. He was staring at the forest. "There is a mountain range that we can climb to overlook the island. It shouldn't take more than half a day to get there. There is also a pond where you can clean up tomorrow before we head out."

Hitomi bit her lip and looked back down at the bird. So far, Van had taken care of everything, had cooked a meal, had found fresh water and even a place where she could clean up. All she had done was complain about the heat and the insects.

The sand was still breathing the warmth of the day when she dug her fingers in. She had never had to take care of herself before. And the future that was so clearly laid out for her did not hold the option that she would ever have to take care of herself. When she was around Van she realized even more how helpless she was. Useless.

Her fingers curled into the sand. She wanted to do something. "May I pluck the bird?"

"Have you done it before?" His tone wasn't patronizing like she had expected, merely curious. He looked down at her and raised a brow when she shook her head no. "Then why do you want to do it?"

Her cheeks flamed and she hoped he wouldn't notice it in the shadows of the fire. She saw the judgement, saw herself reflected in his eyes: a spoiled brat who never in her life had to lift a finger to get anything she wanted, who had never worked, let alone prepared a meal. She knew that only the truth would get through to him.

It hurt to admit. "Because I don't want to be useless."

She couldn't see his reaction because she was staring at the dead bird. Time seemed to stretch unbearably until she thought she would just scream at him. Tears of rage pricked at the back of her eyes.

"Be my guest." At his words, she deflated like a sail in calm.

Narrowing her eyes in determination, she hauled the bird into her lap and started to pluck it. It only took a few moments for her to realize that it was worse than she had expected. She had watched their housekeeper pluck birds back on Joya Verde. It had looked so easy then, the feathers coming off neatly, seemingly without effort. There had to be a trick because she plucked and plucked with all her strength, yet the pinfeathers remained stuck.

Van sat in the sand beside her and watched as she just stared at the bird, breathing hard. Her fingers had curled into her palms, the knuckles sticking out white. It couldn't possibly be that difficult. Frustration welled up inside her and she breathed in deeply to keep the tears from falling. She would not cry over something as silly as this.

When he wordlessly took the bird from her she let him. He draped it across his folded legs and began to continue where she had left off. Out of the corner of her eye, she inspected his hands as he worked.

The wood snapped in the fire as she watched him pluck the bird skilfully. He worked slowly, deliberately, as if to show her how to do it properly. She felt his eyes on her and warmth crawled up the back of her neck. There was no breeze to cool her heated skin for the wind had died down when the sun had set. She shifted, uncurling her legs from underneath her.

She was surprised when Van handed the bird back to her to finish what she had started. Words of gratefulness lay on her tongue but her pride still sealed her mouth shut. Instead she cowardly averted her eyes and focused on her task.

His watchful gaze unsettled her at first, until she realized that she didn't need to impress him. That knowledge calmed her.

He shifted and the hilt of his sword caught the light of the fire. The orange glow danced across the gold that was embedded in the metal, poised at the edge before it dipped into shadows again when he turned to face away from her.

"Van?" She plucked the feathers hard. "Have you ever wondered what you would have been like if your life had gone a different path?"

Wood snapped again, sending sparks into the silence. "What do you mean? Would I have become a spoiled brat like you if I had grown up in a rich family?"

More sparks flew into the night sky when Van poked the fire with a stick. The ambers pulsed hot and orange as if they were breathing. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt her, just tease, she saw the smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. Nevertheless his words struck something inside her. She was disappointed that he still thought so lowly of her.

Shadows danced across his face. "Why do you ask? Do you wonder if your life could have been different?"

"That's not what I asked. But yes, I wonder if I would be the same under different circumstances."

"It doesn't matter now, does it? You are here now."

It did matter to her. She wanted to know if she would still feel the same if he weren't a pirate. If he weren't all she wanted to be. She wanted to know if her insides would twist for him if he weren't the impersonation of her rebellious dreams but someone who lived according to the rules, someone like the commodore. She wanted to know if this feeling was merely a result of this situation. If it was, she could control it.

"True. But imagine you were the son of a governor and I were a pirate. Do you think our paths would still have crossed?" She couldn't look him in the eye, afraid he would see right through her, beyond her words.

"I really don't like the idea of not having a choice." There was anger in his voice, defiance. "It would mean that no matter what I did, I would still end up in my destined place. I wouldn't be able to control it, to change it even if I didn't like it."

She shook her head. He still didn't understand. There was always a choice. She had seen the future, had seen Merle die and yet, Hitomi had chosen to save her. The future was set after a choice was made. "I don't –- "

He didn't let her finish her thought, rolling his eyes. "This is my life now."

Without waiting for her reply he stood and dragged the bird away from the fire. The only noise was the crackle of the fire and the gentle grinding of the waves rolling across the sand on the beach. She was angry at herself, for slipping. She had to be careful or it would be all too obvious soon that she cared.

Stars sprinkled the sky when he finally cleaned himself up and came to sit down beside her. The shadows under his eyes weren't simply so deep because of the firelight. She wondered what kept him up at night. It couldn't be the worry about Merle. The cat woman was safe with Allen. He hadn't slept at all during the days she had been gone. Hitomi had found him wandering the hallways, pacing like a caged animal. She had understood him then.

"You should get some sleep. You look terrible."

She saw him turn to face her out of the corners of her eyes. Trying to ignore his stare, she used a gnarled twig to poke the fire. It made her nervous. She might say things she would regret later.

"I don't feel like sleeping. And it's not even late yet." There was a hard edge to his voice, like the rumble of distant thunder the harbinger of an approaching storm, warning her to be careful.

"You look like you could sleep through the eruption of a volcano. I saw you napping against a tree earlier." She looked at him now, his expression chagrined. He had said he would get wood for the fire and hadn't returned. She had went after him and found him leaning against a tree, mumbling in restless sleep. "When was the last time you slept properly?"

"It's been a while." He turned away from her, a slight note of annoyance in between his words. "Why do you care?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. Of course he wanted to tell her just as much why he couldn't sleep as she wanted to tell him why she cared. But right now, dealing with his insomnia was more important than dealing with her growing feelings for him. She was learning to ignore whatever it was that curled warmly in the pit of her stomach whenever she looked at him.

Hitomi shook her head. A small smile formed at the corners of her lips. "Well first of all, you saved my life so I'm returning the favor. And secondly, Merle is going to have my head if you drop dead of exhaustion under my supervision. She'll blame me. So, it's really just my being selfish and not wanting to get hurt by that ferocious beast."

That was all true at least. Just not the entire truth. She thought she saw the corners of his lips twitch but it could have been a trick of the shadows.

"Alright." He exhaled and linked his arms across his knees before he looked at her. She couldn't see his eyes as the light of the fire danced across his face. "The problem is that even if I fell asleep, I wouldn't get much of a rest."

"Nightmares?" She shrugged her shoulders, embarrassed that she knew. She had come to her own conclusions a while ago, she just wanted him to admit it. "I heard you scream a few times. I couldn't sleep so well either these last days."

"What were you dreaming of?"

Of course he would latch onto that. But she let him, drawing a perverse satisfaction from knowing that Van had probably never talked about this with Merle.

"There are more visions than usual." She wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them against her chest. It was suddenly cold despite the fire. The cold was in her head, her dreams. "I dreamed of this situation we're in now, dreamed that I was drowning, dreamed of a beach but I couldn't connect the two. I thought the beach meant we would reach the island soon. I hoped the drowning was a dream and not a vision.

"Most of the time I can't tell them apart." She shrugged, not looking at him. She was afraid what she would see there. She hadn't spoken about her dreams to anyone but him after her father had forbidden her to read the future. She had forgotten how good it felt, how it eased the weight that pressed down on her. It would be too easy to get lost in this feeling of weightlessness, forgetting just for a moment, just this one time as she closed her eyes. But then she could hear her mother scream.

Hitomi shook her head and the memory faded. "They are more awful than usual too. I think it's the island. The closer we get, the worse my dreams are. And sometimes I think I can hear it, like it's talking to someone, calling them."

She blushed, embarrassed by her ramble. She hadn't wanted to say so much. Glancing at Van from beneath her lashes, she found him staring into the fire. "So, you're not the only one who doesn't like to fall asleep. But, there is obviously no way around it."

An idea came to her mind which was so daring that she acted before she could come to her senses and realize that it was a stupid thing to do. She looked at Van and patted the spot beside her. Her heart beat wildly against her ribcage as she waited for his reaction. What was she doing?

Before she could explain, before she could take back whatever she had wanted to say, Van was already at her side. He sat down beside her and merely raised a brow. The air was suddenly too hot and too thick to breathe. He was suddenly too close.

"Lie down." She stretched out her legs and patted her thighs. She didn't know what had gotten into her but she was going to use this moment of utter bravery on her part and fatigue on Van's part that kept him from questioning her actions.

"I don't think..."

"I know, I know." She interrupted him and waved her hands in a mild gesture of nonchalance. At least, she hoped it was because she felt anything but. Her heart beat like the wings of a hummingbird and the palms of her hands were sweaty. "But my father used to sing this lullaby for me when I had nightmares and didn't want to go back to sleep. His voice was awful, he couldn't carry a tune but I didn't have any more awful dreams that night."

"You are being serious." For a moment Van leaned away and looked at her. There seemed to be a brief struggle within him. She didn't know what happened but he suddenly laid down, his shoulders tense as he rested his head on her thighs.

"What have you got to lose? Now shut your eyes and your mouth, please." She smiled as she felt the protest leave him when he exhaled deeply.

He was quiet and she started to sing. She tried not to think about where she was and whom she was singing to. She focused on the memory and remembered her father's voice as she sang, remembered his hand on her forehead, his weight on the edge of the bed. She remembered the nights of her childhood that had been heavy with humid warmth, sprinkled with stars, ringing with the noises of a jungle wide awake. There was the blanket that she had pulled up to her nose, the candle on her bedside table that flickered with her father's breath. And there was the warmth of his palm on her forehead.

She blinked the memory away and realized that she had buried her hand in Van's hair. He had relaxed and was breathing evenly, his head heavy on her legs. She smiled and brushed a few stray strands out of his forehead, never wavering in the song.

* * *

"What do you want me to do, Merle?"

Millerna was on her way down to her cabin when she passed Allen's quarters and heard his outburst.

"I want you to find him!"

She pressed her ear against the door, not that it was necessary considering the volume of the conversation. She knew no concept of privacy so she didn't feel the slightest bit guilty as she was eavesdropping. They could speak quietly if they didn't want her to listen.

Millerna was curious as to how Allen would deal with the cat woman's temper. They had been going circles all day, trying to find a trace of Van and Hitomi. The storm had tossed them off their course and it was impossible to find the exact position where the two of them had gone overboard.

Merle had been even more insufferable than the days before. Her voice was shrill as she demanded of Allen to circle further, to continue the search. But Millerna could understand her. For the first time since she had met her, the princess felt a spark of compassion towards her.

The back of her eyes pricked when she thought of Hitomi and she shook her head. She would not believe that Hitomi was harmed until she had proof of it. Until then she would believe Hitomi was save and unharmed and annoying Van somewhere.

If it hadn't been for her tear-stained face, Millerna wouldn't have believed Merle when she stumbled under deck and told her that Hitomi and Van had gone overboard. It had pulled the ground from underneath her and she had been on her knees, fighting for breath. She had realized how much that naive girl with those twisted views on the world and silly dreams actually meant to her.

Millerna had lost someone dear to her heart once before and she would not allow it a second time. If it would make a difference, she would force Allen herself to search for them further. But she saw his point. They couldn't keep searching when they didn't know where to start.

"Millerna, I thought you wanted to go to bed."

Dryden had rounded the corner and headed towards her, a frown on his face. She shushed him quickly, motioning towards Allen's cabin. He came closer just as the voices grew in volume and the door suddenly flew open.

Merle exited the room, angry tears staining her cheeks. "You are not concerned about his well-being at all. Just like you didn't care about me. All you wanted was the map. And now you only see your personal gain in saving Van for who he is. Or saving that girl for her powers. Don't patronize me, Allen!"

Millerna watched as the cat woman ran down the hallway. The princess felt sorry for her, knowing that any kind of selfless feeling did not fit in this world that Merle had been thrown into. Her love for that boy would only get her hurt. Millerna recognized herself in the behaviour of the cat.

Dryden leaned against the doorframe and looked at Allen who sat in his chair, his feet poised on the table. "She's got a point, Allen. You wouldn't put so much effort into finding the two of them if there wasn't something in it for you. What is it?"

Allen yawned. "You credit me little compassion, Dryden."

"You refused to fill up on fresh water, endangering your entire crew, just so you wouldn't lose a day in this ridiculous race." Dryden gave an incredulous laugh. "Don't talk to me about compassion."

A silence stretched between them that Allen shattered when he suddenly jumped out of his chair and started to pace the room. "Oi, Dryden. I can't believe I lost the two of them." He ruffled his hair. "They were gifts. They just came to me like it was meant to be."

Dryden shared a worried look with Millerna. "What are you talking about, Allen?"

The captain stopped pacing and waved a hand lazily in Millerna's direction. "Maybe you want to get rid of an additional pair of ears first."

Dryden smiled and rested a reassuring hand on Millerna's forearm when he felt the princess tense. "I don't think that it'll make a difference in this situation, captain."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter anymore anyway."

Dryden ushered Millerna into the cabin and closed the door. Allen's uncharacteristic behavior worried him. The captain only seemed to lose control of himself when the island was concerned. "Allen?"

"Have you read the legends about Atlantis, Dryden?" Allen leaned against the table and fixed the other man with a hard stare.

Dryden caught the confused look in Millerna's eyes. "Some of them, they were my bedtime stories, just like yours."

Allen shook his head. "No, I mean the legends beyond the bed time stories. The old reports, the journals. I read them. I read everything on Atlantis that I could get my hands on. Even the things that were considered the most ridiculous."

"Atlantis?" Millerna stepped around Dryden. "You mean the cursed island that was inhabited by Draconians? You think this is where the map is leading us?"

Allen slammed his palm on the table. "I know it is. It makes perfect sense. The stories our fathers told us match other reports about the island. They, however, didn't know what was waiting for them at the end of their journey. They didn't know what the X on the map marked. They were unprepared."

"Let me guess..."

Allen ignored Dryden's biting sarcasm. "I found the reason why our fathers failed, why they almost got torn apart in this one storm, why they couldn't reach the island. They didn't have a key."

"Key?" As much as he wanted to sound nonchalant, Dryden couldn't stop his voice from trembling. He realized what it would mean if Allen was right, realized that it could be possible.

"That storm wasn't a normal storm, Dryden." Allen resumed pacing. "It was the same storm our fathers couldn't pass all those years ago. It was created to keep unwanted visitors off the island. As you said, it was inhabited by Draconians, created by Draconians, and only Draconians are allowed to pass."

The conviction in Allen's voice alarmed Dryden. "What do you mean?"

Allen walked up to Dryden and grabbed him by the collar. His eyes were clear and it scared Dryden. "Remember who he is, Dryden."

He knocked Allen's hands away and took a step backwards. He had feared it would come down to this. Ever since he had seen the crest on Van's sword, since he had heard the truth about the boy's legacy from Allen, he had feared that the cursed island would wait at the end of their journey. "You are ridiculous, Allen."

"But Van _is_ the key, Dryden. I didn't know how valuable he would really be when I found him picking my pockets when he was still a child. I recognized him and I thought I could get ransom." He laughed, running his hands through his hair. "But nobody wanted him. His parents were dead and Fanelia no longer existed. Nobody wanted a little king without a kingdom."

Millerna gasped at Allen's careless words. Dryden narrowed his eyes but knew that there was no point in lying. She would have made the connection sooner or later. "Dryden, does that mean...?"

Dryden glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and gave her a slight nod that made her cover her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were wide. But Allen was right. At this point it didn't matter anymore who knew. The boy was lost somewhere, if he was still alive in the first place.

His hand shook when he ran it across his face. Dryden had underestimated Allen, had underestimated his obsession. He hadn't known Allen had researched so well, that he had found all the missing details. He couldn't imagine living with all this knowledge and not being able to tell anyone.

Something old and buried stirred painfully within him when he admitted to himself that Allen not sharing his knowledge hurt him. It wasn't that he wanted to find Atlantis but the realization that he had lost a friend. Allen had stopped trusting him after Dryden had turned his back on his life as a pirate.

The rift between them was too wide to cross, the wounds too deep to mend. And the both of them were too proud to admit that they each had made a mistake. Now, all Dryden could do was save Allen from himself. To do so Dryden had to understand him.

"You never told me." Allen was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the sadness in Dryden's voice.

"Because I didn't think it was important. And the more people were in on it, the more suspicious the situation would have been." Allen stared at the table that was strewn with documents. An entire life of searching and hating. "And I didn't find the hint about the key until years after you had left."

Dryden knew why Allen was so desperate to find the island, knew what drove him, knew what held him upright all those years. Dryden had stopped hating his father a long time ago. That was when he had started to live his own life, a life that wasn't controlled by the ghosts of his past. But Allen couldn't let go. It was like he needed the pain, needed the hate to keep going.

"So when you knew you had everything you needed right under your nose you kidnapped Millerna to get my piece of the map. You could have asked me."

"No, you still don't understand." Allen was growing impatient. He was talking faster now, drumming his fingers restlessly on the table. "If I had asked you, I wouldn't have had to kidnap Millerna, I would have never met the seer. The seer is crucial. It was all meant to happen."

"The seer has a name," Millerna snarled from the seat she had taken. She was still shaken but also angry. "Her name is Hitomi and she is currently somewhere lost on the sea."

Dryden put a hand on her shoulder when he saw her rise. Nothing good would come from a fight between the two of them. "Allen, I think you have lost focus. Two people were washed overboard last night and you sit here and contemplate your bad luck. .."

Allen wasn't listening anymore. He had resumed his pacing, rubbing a hand over his lips and mumbling. Dryden realized that there was no point in trying to get through to Allen now. The captain was lost in his own world.

Dryden grasped Millerna's hands that had been curled into fists, the knuckles white. Angry tears had gathered at the corners of her eyes. He helped her to her feet and guided her quietly out of the cabin. When he closed the door he saw Allen hunched over his documents again, rummaging through the pieces of his life. He hoped that Allen would find what he was searching for.

* * *

Van found Hitomi standing where the water touched her knees. She was bent over, her arms almost up to the shoulders in the water. She was still.

She didn't notice him at first. She was focused on what she was doing. Focused on catching a fish with her hands. After she had watched Van the day before as he had thrown that fish onto the beach seemingly with ease, she had wanted to try it as well. She wanted to be able to take care of herself. It couldn't be so difficult. However, so far all of her attempts had failed.

"You have to be more patient."

A scream stuck in her throat, Hitomi straightened and the water splashed around her as she pulled her arms out of the water. Hands closed over her heart, she glared at him. He stood not too far away from her, the water lapping around his feet. He must have just woken up, his hair standing up wildly in every direction.

"The fish," he said, his voice still thick with sleep, and motioned toward her with a lazy hand. "You have to wait longer. Let them swim between your hands, let them get used to your hands. Don't try to catch them at the first opportunity."

She walked toward him. The fish were gone anyway, scared by her sudden movements. "How long have you been watching?"

He shrugged. There was a crease on his cheek from where he had slept on her chemise. "A while."

Somehow it didn't bother her that he had watched her futile attempts on catching fish. He wasn't making fun of her, wasn't laughing in her face, wasn't ridiculing her wanting to learn. She appreciated the respect he showed for her. She would never tell him. She thought he knew.

She brushed past him, heading for the fire place. The sand was warm beneath her feet. "Have you slept well?"

The water splashed when he turned to follow her. "Quite well, actually."

He sounded slightly awed and disbelieving. Suprised even. But of course, he had slept well. He hadn't stirred a single time that night, his breathing even. There had been no fires, no screams, no broken pieces of conversations, no memories haunting him. For the first time in a long while, he hadn't had a single dream.

He hadn't had a single dream because she had dreamed all his dreams. Her expression twisted in pain and she was glad she had her back to him. Unlike Van she hadn't been blind when she had dreamed, hadn't heard only fragments. She had seen everything. She had understood everything. She remembered all that Van had forgotten.

And suddenly Merle's refusal of telling Van about his past made perfect sense. Now she knew the whole picture the cat girl had talked about so passionately. She finally knew who he was. She knew all that he wanted to know.

A few ambers were still glowing among the ashes of the fire and she knelt down to breathe them back to life. It was difficult to ignore the guilt that had clamped like an iron vice around her heart. She had woken this morning not knowing what to do. What was she supposed to do? She wasn't bound like Merle, was she? He had a right to know who he was.

And yet, there she was, contemplating not telling him. She couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Hitomi?"

She was startled out of her thoughts. He would notice the difference in her behaviour if she wasn't careful.

He stared at the sand in front of her, rubbing the back of his neck. There was the faintest red hue across the bridge of his nose. "Thank you for...you know."

Her heart stuttered when he graced her with a shy, grateful smile. She didn't know if it was because of guilt or the fear that he could find out that she knew. Or if it was something else.

"You're welcome." She smiled at a spot above his shoulder and turned back to the fire.

They left the beach soon after. There was nothing that they could take with them so breaking the camp merely consisted of quenching the fire with sand. The small river that Van had found the day before meandered slowly through the forest and they followed its course for most of the day. Hitomi had asked Van for his sword and was cutting her way vigorously through the undergrowth.

She thought that the exertion would maybe distract her from the pieces of someone else's memory that echoed within her mind, painfully reverberating from the walls of her conscience. The heat was almost unbearable. Sweat tickled down between her shoulder blades and a layer of dirt covered her skin. She couldn't count how many times she had been bitten by insects but she revelled in the pain. Her arms were heavy, aching, tired from holding the sword but she kept going, focusing on the pain. Lift the sword. Swing. Strike. Lift. Swing. Strike. All she heard was the cracking of wood and her own heavy breathing.

The pain dulled the feeling of guilt that nagged at the back of her mind like a throbbing headache. And since she was leading their party of two, she didn't have to look at Van, didn't have to fear he would look at her and recognize the expression of regret.

The sword struck a branch that was too strong to break at the first attempt. Her arms were numb and couldn't react when the branch rebounded and hit her in the face. She dropped the sword. Her cheek stung. Her breath was labored.

When Van pried her hands from her face she felt like she was waking up. His eyes were dark, his brows furrowed in concern. His fingertips burned her skin when he grasped her chin and turned her head. The world tilted. "It's just a scratch. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She stood and was about to turn away but his fingers curling into her palm stopped her. His grasp on her hand wasn't strong, shy even, but she couldn't move. Her heart jolted in her chest.

"What's wrong, Hitomi?"

She couldn't stop the mirthless laugh that broke from her lips. She could barely prevent that it turned into a sob. Such an innocent question. So much concern. He didn't have a clue.

Would he still care if he knew that she contemplated to betray him? Was this what Merle was so afraid of? Was this the feeling Merle had suffered for almost twenty years? It was cruel. Hitomi knew it could destroy her.

"What do you mean?" Taking that one step away from him so his fingers would slip out of her palm was more difficult than she had imagined, more difficult than what was good for her. "It's hot. I'm hungry. It makes me cranky and I'm not going to apologize."

"That's not what I meant."

That was what she had been afraid of. But she wasn't only worried about herself, wasn't worried he would despise her, blame her. She worried about him as well. She was afraid of what that knowledge would do to him.

She remembered as he had told her about his fear that his parents could have been murderers, that his parents had left him for a reason. She remembered the unspoken fear she had seen in his eyes, the fear that he was the reason.

She picked up his sword and touched the crest at the hilt. The dragon bathing in gold. He couldn't have been any more wrong. And yet it couldn't have been any worse.

But no matter if he was heir to the throne of a land-locked country on the Northern Continent. No matter if his destiny was to lead a rebellion and his people to freedom. It wasn't her place to decide that it was better for him that he didn't know. He had a right to know.

Would she want to know?

"Van, can I ask you something?"

She glanced at him when he didn't reply and she saw the corner of his mouth lift in a smile. She felt guilty, hoping that he could make the decision for her. She hoped that he would understand her and her own cowardice appalled her.

"What would you do if you knew a secret. A secret that wouldn't affect you at all but someone else all the more, someone you care about." Those last words could break her neck but she wanted him to understand.

When the silence grew so intense that she could feel it prickle on her skin she looked up and found that the smile had vanished and his expression had turned cold. "What?"

His eyes narrowed and he spoke slowly as if he were measuring his every word, controlling his emotions. "Merle has asked me that question before."

"That same question?" Hitomi knew that this wasn't the way it was supposed to be, that she had lost control. But she couldn't stop it anymore.

"Not in so many words."

She had the sinking feeling that she had made a mistake. "What did you answer her?"

Van took a few steps to cover the distance between them. His eyes were dark as he looked at her, his arms crossed in front of his chest. She felt as if he was trying to look inside her head. "I asked her why she wouldn't disclose it if she cared for that someone."

"It would hurt that someone." She had said too much. She saw the wheels turning in his head, putting the pieces if the puzzle together faster than she would have liked to. Her heart was hammering in her chest, waiting for his reaction. It was too late now. Hadn't she wanted him to make the decision for her?

"I told her if she thought it was worth it to keep the secret and not hurt her friend, she should keep it. It was her decision to make after all." He narrowed his eyes, his voice icy as he spoke. "But now I think you should let the one decide who is concerned by the secret."

She couldn't hold back the words any longer. She couldn't watch him assume, trying to make sense of the unspoken words, of the secrets that surrounded him, that he could feel but that blurred when he stepped closer, that slipped through his fingers whenever he reached out. But she wanted him to understand why they had been kept away from him for so long. Because now she finally understood Merle.

"But once you know there is no turning back. You can't choose what you are going to hear." She wanted him to know the truth and yet she was begging him not to ask her.

His eyes suddenly widened. "This is about my past. You _know_!"

This last word held so much accusation and disappointment that she wanted to apologize and justify herself. She wanted to tell him her reasons, wanted to soothe his anger with her words but she couldn't speak. Her breath had caught.

Van stared at her, waiting. It wasn't necessary to voice an answer, her stricken expression, so full of guilt and regret, was confirmation enough. All emotion drained from his features, leaving his eyes cold and empty like the northern sky. He had made the connection.

His voice was hollow. "Merle knows."

She nodded, her hands fisted at her sides. There was no point in lying. She felt grateful and it made her feel bad. The secret had been a burden and she had only carried it for a little while. Merle had kept it for a decade. Her strength and compassion surpassed anything Hitomi had ever seen but so did her cowardice.

Van was silent as he ran his hands over his face and buried them in his hair. He exhaled loudly and his voice shook as he spoke, betraying his outward calmness.

"How does she know? Did you tell her? How did you-?" He trailed off, not able separate his thoughts. Trying to calm himself, he breathed deeply as he looked at her, his eyes blazing. Looking him in the eye was like watching a thunderstorm through a window. She could only imagine what was going on inside him at the moment. "How did you find out?"

His question surprised her. But what would she have asked if she had been in his position? What would have been her first question? "I had a vision of your past some days ago, accidentally, when I touched you. And last night I dreamed your dreams but unlike you I could see."

"How much do you know?" He spoke slowly, trying to control the shaking of his voice that was only a superficial harbinger of a much deeper struggle. She saw that his knuckles were white and his shoulders tense.

She didn't break eye contact. She wanted to but she couldn't. She was afraid that he would break if she averted her eyes. "Enough."

He struggled. He didn't want to ask the question, didn't want to know the answer. He could still choose, could still turn his back on the truth. He closed his eyes. "And Merle?"

One word that carried a truth so painful. "Everything."

He made a disbelieving sound in the back of his throat and turned away from her. He was breathing quickly, his shoulders heaving, and his voice was shaking harder now. There were so many questions he could ask, so many questions that wouldn't cause so much pain like the one that was forming on his lips. But it was like tide, inevitable. "How long has she known?"

Hitomi wondered why he would do that to himself, why he would do it to Merle. It was obvious how much it pained him to hear her say it out loud, yet he asked her to continue. He could have turned away, could have pretended. But there was no way he could find rest, knowing everyone around him had the answers. "She has never forgotten."

And just like that he walked away from her.

Hitomi blinked and called out his name. She had expected his outburst, his lack of response she had not. She had been afraid of his reaction but his silence scared her more than any yelling and accusations ever could. It made him unpredictable. She had to get a reaction out of him.

And she had to defend Merle. After having spilled the secret it was the least she could do. Merle didn't deserve Van's anger. After all it hadn't been her fault. The cat woman had only been worried. And he had to understand that. He needed to understand or he would do something he would regret.

She caught up with him but he didn't turn when she called his name yet again. Frustrated and desperate she reached out for his hand. He stilled immediately. "Van, she did it to protect you."

He turned to look at her and she wished she had left him alone. He would take out his anger on her. "You talked about it? You discussed my past behind my back?" She opened her mouth to reply but he cut her short. "Did you at least have a good time, laughing about the stupid little boy who can't sleep at night while the two of you knew exactly what was going on? Did you –-"

Her fingers on his lips silenced him. Her smile was soft, relieved. "You're angry."

He looked at her and she knew that angry didn't even come close to what he must be feeling that moment. "And you have every right to be. But before you judge, consider Merle's situation. She only had the best intentions. She was only ever worried about you."

"And you?" He spoke against her fingers and she pulled her hand away as if his words had burned her. "Did you do it to protect me, too?"

Her face burned and she tried to think of something to distract him. Although she was sure the question had been completely innocent she hoped her feelings wouldn't show too clearly on her face. "Imagine you were keeping a secret like that. What would you do?"

"I don't know!" He stepped away from her and stretched out his arms, not knowing how best to channel his frustration. "I don't know what you know! I don't know what is so horrible that you cannot share it. What did my parents do that you cannot even tell me now?"

Hitomi sighed. She tried to fight the joy she felt at being the one who could tell him, being the one to give him all the answers. "What do you want to know? Do you _want_ to know?"

Her words had calmed him, his shoulders sagging. Van stared at her but he was looking through her. He was deciding what he would ask first. "Who are they?"

"They were kind and gentle people." His eyes widened and she shook her head when he opened his mouth to ask questions she didn't want to answer yet. "They are long dead."

He hesitated. Then, "Why did they give me away?"

She saw his memories flash in front of her eyes. The stormy sea. Merle's hand in his. His mother's face. His father, sword drawn. The fire. "It was beyond their control. It was an accident in which they were killed and you survived. It was when you lost your memory."

"How?" The questions came quickly now but she wasn't sure if he heard the answers or if he just asked because he couldn't stop it, because there was someone who answered, because he had wanted to ask for so long.

The mast at the stern fell, wood splintered. An explosion and she was thrown overboard. "A shipwreck."

He stared at the ground and she watched him. They were close but it felt like they were oceans apart. She couldn't reach him. Not now. He needed to find himself first.

Her heart hammered in her chest in expectation of his next question. If he asked, would she tell him? "Where did they come from?"

_They_. He didn't ask where _he_ came from.

"Fanelia." He didn't need to know the whole truth yet. She still needed to deal with that. She found herself ignoring that detail of his past, denying his legacy. She found she could look at him if she forgot who he was.

"I've never heard of it."

"Me neither." And that wasn't even a lie. Back then she hadn't yet met Millerna and couldn't have cared less about kings and queens of faraway countries. She had never heard of this country, never heard what had happened after the king and queen had died and their sons disappeared.

They stood in silence, the air between them vibrating with heat and memories. Hitomi's fingers had curled painfully into her palms. It was unfair for her to know all that he desired. There were so many images in her mind, of smiles and laughter, and tears. They were memories of a happy childhood, a loving family, memories of someone else's life.

If she could change it, she would. But what could she do? Should she tell him things that she knew, bits and pieces of his past? Would he be able to relate?

The words tasted foreign on her tongue, like she was only telling him about the life of a stranger. "If...if there is anything you want to know, just ask."

Feeling it was all she could do at the moment, she passed him and continued on their previous route. Her heart was slowly returning to a normal pace and she exhaled, feeling as if she had held her breath for a long time.

There was a faint rustle and he fell in step beside her. She glanced at him and their eyes met briefly. She wanted to ask him if he was okay but knew it was a silly question. Words couldn't heal the wounds words had torn.

She trudged on, Van so close beside her that she heard him breathe. The sticky heat under the canopy made her light-headed and she had to watch her every step. When she stumbled over a root once, Van caught her, his hand on her upper arm steadying her. Not a word was spoken. A part of her that she wished had not awaken, hoped his hovering at her elbow was his way of forgiving her.

When the forest finally thinned and the light grew brighter between the trees ahead of them, Hitomi quickened her steps. Maybe it was the foot of the mountain Van had mentioned. Maybe it was a lake.

As she stepped from the trees the sunlight blinded her. A smile broke across her face when she felt a breeze on her heated skin and heard water gurgle. The smile vanished when she saw that they had reached a gorge. She saw the sharp edges, the hard rock, steep decline and knew that it was too deep and too wide to cross.

"Oh, fantastic." Hitomi threw up her arms, suddenly frustrated.

They had walked all day just to reach a dead end. Angry tears pricked at the back of her eyes and clogged her throat. She felt the exhaustion in her legs, in her arms, in her mind, and the hopelessness of their situation came suddenly crashing down on her. They were stranded on a forsaken island with nobody knowing where they were, with not a single chance of being found. What had she been thinking?

Had she thought they would climb up the hill and their problems would be solved? Had she thought they would miraculously be able to just leave the island once they had reached the top? They had lost the _Lady_ and the crew in the middle of a storm. Even if the crew was searching for them, there was little chance that they would find the island.

_If_ the crew was searching for them...

Her breath hitched when she realized that they would not. Allen had a mission. Allen had the map. There would be no stopping him.

The words echoed in her mind. Nobody was looking for them. Nobody was looking for them. Nobody was –

"Hitomi?" Van's voice seemed to come from far away but it was able to break through the fog in her mind.

She looked up at him. She didn't feel his hand on her forearm, didn't see the concern in his eyes. All she saw was someone to blame.

"This is all your fault! This was your idea! This...what are we supposed to do now?" Crossing the gorge and reaching the mountain would not help them to leave the island but it was something she could focus on. It was driftwood she could hold on to as she was drowning. What else was there to do? What else could she do? She was horrified to find herself unable to stop the sob from breaking across her lips.

"But it's no problem to cross." Her high-pitched voice and the clear sound of imminent tears seemed to startle Van. He looked at her and frowned.

"What are you talking about?" She heard the disbelieving desperation in her voice but she couldn't stop it. Panic was bubbling inside her. She knew that it was too late when she suddenly didn't care anymore that Van saw her cry. The tears left hot trails on her cheeks.

He looked at her and his unexpected grin made her heart jolt. "You don't know? I thought you knew everything about my past. How can you not know?"

"I know the circumstances of your parents' death and your memory loss. I know bits and pieces of your life." Somehow his voice calmed her. Warmth settled in the pit of her stomach that quenched the panic. Hitomi sniffed and wiped her eyes. The back of her hand was wet and she took a shuddering breath before she spoke, willing her voice not to break. "I said I knew enough, not everything, and - what are you doing?"

She stared at Van, wide-eyed. He had taken off his shirt and chucked it at her. "This is the only shirt I have here with me. I'm not going to shred it."

"What-?" The end of her question ended in a long drawn gasp as enormous wings grew from his back, the same pure white wings she had seen in a vision. Only this time, they were real and they took her breath away. The feathers rustled softly as they folded in a high arch above Van's head. Their beauty was almost painful.

"Draconian?" His shirt pressed against her chest she clasped a hand over her mouth. She knew immediately, had heard the legends. They had accompanied her to bed as a child. She had never thought them to be true. "But I thought they were just stories."

"Me too. Now imagine my surprise when I woke up one morning with a pair of wings sticking out of my back." His eyes twinkled and she had forgotten her tears.

"You had forgotten?" Hitomi stared at him, her fingers itching to touch his wings.

"Yes. I wouldn't even know my name if it wasn't for..." He trailed off, his eyes clouding in pain. Her own fears seemed ridiculously unimportant in comparison to his pain. She wanted to reach out to him but he suddenly shook his head. "Let's just get this over with."

She hesitated, staring at his outstretched hand as a thought occurred to her. "Wait, you can fly and you just told me now? We scrambled all this way through the forest in this blistering heat, getting eaten alive by insects as large as my hands although you could have just flown us to the mountain?"

Anger raged white hot through her. Unstoppable. Unreasonable. She had stepped closer to him, her voice growing in volume and pitch with every word. Van held up his hands, startled. "I can't carry us both such a long way—"

He choked on his words when she hit him in the chest. When he looked at her there were tears running down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying. "You could fly us off this godforsaken island right away! Why are we still here?"

"Hitomi, where would we go?" His voice was surprisingly quiet and calm and if she hadn't been so enraged, she would have marvelled at its softness. "Do you know in which direction to go? Where we can find land?" She blinked as if his words finally sank in. "I didn't think so."

What he said made sense. Her accusations were irrational. But she needed something to cling on to, something that gave her hope that there was a way to leave this island. If Van had been honest with her from the start, there would have been no reason for her to break down.

"But you were here yesterday, weren't you?" She hit him again. Hard. It felt good, every blow lessened her anger, calmed the panic that was choking her. "Why didn't you check yesterday?" He stepped away from her but she hit him again. And again. "We could be gone already!"

"Stop hitting me, Hitomi." He grabbed her hands and clasped them between his. If her tears made him uncomfortable, he didn't show. But he was confused, she saw that much in his eyes. They were searching hers. He couldn't explain why she was crying. Neither could she. "Yesterday it was getting dark and I couldn't see far."

The fight had left her but she didn't pull her hands out of his grip. She was afraid he was what held her upright and if he let go, she would crumble. Her words were only a whisper. "Why didn't you go by yourself then?"

He looked at her as if he was questioning her sanity. "I didn't want to leave you behind. But I'm going to reconsider it if you don't shut up now."

She sniffed and exhaled deeply. There were white spots dancing in her vision when she closed her eyes. She needed to focus on something else, something palpable, something real. Just to make sure he was still there she squeezed his hands. "Are you sure you can carry us both across that gorge?"

Turning swiftly, he kneeled and motioned for her to climb on his back. Feathers rubbed against her bare arms when she held onto him.

"Don't let go." Though she couldn't see his smile she heard it in his voice as he walked to the edge of the cliff. Her reply remained stuck in her throat because he didn't hesitate and let himself fall forward into nothingness. Her heart jumped and she tightened her arms around his neck. He chuckled quietly as his wings caught on the wind and they were gliding.

She watched in awe as the river rushed by beneath them. A laugh broke from her lips from sheer embarrassment. Her breakdown felt silly now. She sighed as she listened to the wind in his wings.

* * *

"We're almost there, Folken. We'll reach the island in two days if the wind doesn't abandon us again."

Folken didn't reply but stared out of the window. The sky had cleared and the sea had calmed. Only the patched sails were proof that the vicious storm three nights before had almost stopped their pursuit of the treasure.

Temperatures had dropped as soon as they had passed the storm. The first icebergs had already appeared. Their white tops were glowing in the sunlight. Folken had only heard about that cold, white land in the south. It was the first time he saw snow.

"The seers told me that there is a second key to the island, a second key to Atlantis, and that he is in Schezar's possession." Dornkirk stood right behind Folken, leaning on a cane. Folken could hear his raspy breathing. "Why didn't you tell me that your brother was still alive, Folken?"

He missed the cries of seagulls. There had been a flock of them circling the ship before they had crossed paths with the storm.

"I didn't think it was important." Folken turned around and narrowed his eyes at his captain. "He doesn't know who he is and what it means."

"He will find out eventually."

"By that time we will have reached the island. Before Schezar." Folken turned away, raising a shoulder casually. He didn't like to look the captain in the eyes. They saw things Folken didn't want to be seen. "Didn't you see to it that he was being pursued?"

"Yes, but having the key with him enabled him to sail through the storm unscathed. His pursuers will not be able to pass that barrier." Dornkirk gripped his cane tightly, his wrinkled skin stretching over spindly fingers.

"We'll just have to be faster." Folken left the cabin, knowing there was nothing else to say.

He closed the door behind him and walked deeper into the ship. He clenched and unclenched his fist to stop it from shaking. He was worried his feelings would show. He was angry at himself for not being able to control it, for not being unfeeling when his brother and Merle were concerned.

He had overestimated his self-control. He had thought he would be able to walk away from his brother without feeling anything, would walk away from Merle without remembering anything. Why wasn't he blessed with amnesia?

The images were too bright, too vivid to ignore them. Every single one of them hit him with the force of a lifetime, whispering promises of impossible futures. It was as if he could hear the laughter, his little brother's smile radiant, as if he could feel the rain on his skin, Merle's complaints ringing in his ears. And he couldn't ignore it. Even after all these years he couldn't suppress the urge to protect.

His eyes widened. Maybe...

"Folken!"

Naria was suddenly in front of him, her eyes narrowed, her tail whipping the air. He could feel the anger coming off her in waves.

"Let her go."

Folken tried to focus and pressed his lips to a thin line. If she didn't stop, he would say things he would later regret. There she was, in all her angry glory, accusing him of things she didn't understand. He felt himself responding to her anger although he didn't want to. He didn't want to hurt her. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"It is selfish of you to bind her to you." There were tears in her eyes and Folken felt sorry because he would hurt them both. "She will die for you."

"I know." He walked past her, hoping she would let it go, begging her to let it go. Her grip on his arm stopped him. Her nails sunk painfully into his skin. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"You must understand that I didn't ask for it. That I didn't force her to." He turned to face Naria who was momentarily speechless. It made him wonder briefly, hadn't she seen it coming? He must have changed his mind on what to tell her. Her eyes flickered and a dozen possibilities of what he could say must be flashing through her mind just then.

"Is it not selfish of you to ask me to let her go, Naria? We are all very selfish beings. Everything we do is out of gain of something. Is it not?" Tears sparkled in her eyes and he knew he had gotten through to her. "Let me ask you something. Do you think it would make a difference if I let her go? Do you think she would listen? It is her _decision_. That is a privilege. You should know best."

Her grip on his arm loosened. "I just don't want her to get hurt."

"I understand. But she knows."

"Then, what can I do?" The desperation in her voice mirrored his own feelings. "I've seen things, Folken, that you can't even imagine."

She saw things he couldn't even imagine but was blind to the most simple of solutions. He smiled. "What do you _want_ to do? Make up your mind for once in your life."

* * *

The wind across his skin and the taste of salt on his lips were real to Van that moment. Everything else was a blurred mix of images and strong emotions flaring like lightning within his mind. He couldn't depict them, couldn't tell which image belonged to which emotion.

He shook his head. He hadn't had any expectations when climbing the mountain. Unlike Hitomi, he hadn't believed that once they had reached the top a solution would magically conjure itself. He knew they would be stuck on this island for quite a while.

It didn't bother him. The longer they stayed on the island, the longer he could pretend. Pretend she hadn't told him the truth.

Hitomi's words only slowly sunk in, barely making it past a barrier of denial. Everything within him refused to accept them. But hadn't he wanted to know? Hadn't he wanted to know all his life about his parents, why they had left him? Hadn't he wanted to know where he belonged?

His father's face. His mother's voice. He had imagined that day many times, the day when he would suddenly remember, when he would suddenly know who he was. In his imagination, the knowledge had elated him. He had thought that knowing where he belonged would change him, give him a purpose.

But where there had been at least a path toward an uncertain future before, there was only darkness left now. His every step had been driven by the desire to find out about his past. But instead of filling an emptiness inside of him, the knowledge had torn an even deeper hole. All he felt was disappointment. Betrayal. And it hurt.

If he had known the price for the knowledge, he would have refused it. He would have chosen ignorance, a life without those memories, over knowing that Merle had lied to him. He saw her face in his mind, smiling, worrying, scolding. He remembered the nights they had sat making up a past for the both of them, imagining what their families could be like, creating dreams to keep going on. And all this time she had known the truth.

He wondered if it had been worth it. A truth for a lie. A friendship for the memories of a stranger. It didn't feel right. It felt as if Hitomi had told him about someone else's life, anyone's life, but not his. There was no warmth, just distance. The memories seemed detached from him, separated like the sea and the sky, never meant to mix.

He was scared of leaving this place, scared of what would happen when he would have to face Merle. His own reaction was what scared him.

He wanted to blame Hitomi. She had been the one to tell him, she had been the one to spill Merle's secret. But it wasn't her fault. She had only done what she had thought was right. He had mulled over her question about what he would have done in her place. The very same.

"Van!"

Her voice echoed between the rocks. She had set out to circle the top while he had stood, thinking.

"Van!" Stones clattered down the side of the mountain as she came barrelling down the slope. She stumbled once, then slipped on loose stones. She saw him in front of her and flailed her arms to hold onto him. Her eyes widened when he stepped out of the way and she fell hard on the ground.

She stared at her scratched palms and gave him a withering look. "What in the world?"

Van instinctively held up his hands in defence. "Every time you've touched me so far you've seen bits and pieces of my past. I don't like you intruding like that."

"It's not like I do it on purpose!" She picked herself up from the ground and noted with a snarl that he wasn't offering his hand. "I can't control it."

He didn't know why it bothered him so much. Maybe it was because he didn't want to know any more. He had heard more than enough. "I bet you could if you tried."

She stopped dusting herself off and gave him a hard stare. "Are you implying I'm snooping around?"

He sighed. He had known she would get the wrong ideas. "I'm not implying you're doing it on purpose. I'm saying that your curiosity might trigger it. So as long as your ability runs wild, I'm staying away from you. Don't look at me like that. Would you like me knowing all of your past secrets?"

That silenced her and he regretted his harsh tone. "Now what did you want to tell me?"

She glared at him and then huffed, pointing over her shoulder. "There are ships down there."

"What?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! As you can see, I haven't given up on this, oh no! There are maybe three chapters left and I shouldn't say it out loud but I really want to try and finish it this year, mwahahaahaha! Now that I said it, it surely won't happen :P I hope you'll enjoy anyway!


	16. Hyakunenme

Summary: During a storm, Van and Hitomi were washed overboard and stranded on an island. Allen refused to search for them so not to lose time in the race against Dornkirk. In a conversation with Dryden he reveals that the storm was a kind of passageway that they were only able to pass because of Van and his Draconian heritage. This is the first time Millerna hears about it. Meanwhile Van and Hitomi decided to climb a mountain to have a look at their surroundings. This is when Hitomi discovers three ships at anchor in one of the island's bays.

* * *

Chapter 16 – Hyakunenme

* * *

The sails of the three frigates moved gently in the breeze as they lay at anchor in the bay. Swaying. Waiting. Climbing down the mountain and cutting their way to the beach had taken Van and Hitomi half a day. The sun had long started its decent towards the sea and the sky was slowly turning purple. Night reached with long fingers for the remaining daylight.

From their hiding place the two of them had watched the crew roll barrels across the beach. They had filled up on fresh water, six dinghies gently swaying back and forth with the movement of the surf.

Hitomi's heart was hammering in her chest, the palms of her hands sweaty. Since she had spotted the ships she hadn't been able to calm down. This was their chance to leave the island. Their only chance.

The crew was loading the last barrels into the remaining dinghies. Soon they would return to the ship and the sea would swallow their footprints. She glanced at Van, wondering what he was waiting for. His eyes were narrowed, one hand on the hilt of his sword, knuckles white. She didn't know why he hesitated. What was he waiting for?

His fingers clasped her wrist when she made an attempt to go out of hiding, holding her back. Her skin burned where he touched her. "Hitomi, don't."

"What are you waiting for, Van?" She wasn't angry, just frustrated. "They're packing up. They're probably going to leave in the morning."

He let go of her wrist and pointed towards the beach. Sunlight dances on the waves. "Have you realized that this is Commodore Shephard's ship?"

Hitomi's eyes widened and her insides twisted at the mentioning of his name. She narrowed her eyes, trying to discern the letters on the hull of the ship. "It is? How is this possible?"

"I have no idea but I suppose he's been following us and was hit by the same storm just to be washed upon this same island. They must've been mending the sails these last days."

Hitomi couldn't believe her bad luck. There she had been trying to run away from Shephard, crossing an entire ocean and yet, she would be running right into his arms again. She had known the moment she would have to face him would eventually come, had hoped she would have more time. But somehow, the thought of facing him didn't send her heart racing and her thoughts flying anymore. What had she been afraid of? What had made her a coward?

She felt calm, warm, sure. She knew what she wanted and it gave her strength. Like knowing that arms would catch her if she let herself fall. She looked at Van. "Then what are you worried about?"

"He is out to get Allen and his crew and even if he doesn't know my face he can add two and two together once he sees me with you." There was a little bit of accusation in his voice, and frustration. "Excuse me for not wanting to expose my neck to him so he can cut my head right off."

"You're afraid!" Hitomi's voice was incredulous. She couldn't believe he was willing to let their only chance of getting away from this island slip just because he was afraid to be arrested.

Van didn't look at her when he replied but she saw his that fingers curled into a fist at his sides. "I am not."

"Have the decency to look me in the eyes when you lie to me about something so ridiculous." She pushed him hard, not willing to hide her anger.

Van rubbed his shoulder. "What is your problem?"

What was his problem? "My problem is that you are too proud to go out there and expose yourself!"

"I..." He took a deep breath before he continued speaking. Hitomi sensed his anger and impatience. But the anger was different than from before. Different from the anger when he found out about his past. That had been a silent anger, closing in on her like fog, making it hard to breathe.

This time his anger was loud and rang with his every word. She preferred it over the silence. This she could read, this she could deal with. "I'm sure that the captain won't appreciate my presence on his ship. He followed Allen all the way here to take him and his crew captive. What do you think he'll do if I turn up in front of him?"

"But I could explain."

A laugh broke from his lips that startled her. "Explain?"

No matter how much he had grown on her, he could still make her blood boil with a single word. "Alright, then what is your plan? You might have noticed that our time is running out. He doesn't know we're here so he's not going to wait for us."

Van averted his eyes and Hitomi knew he didn't know what to do. She knew what not to do. She would not stand back and watch Shephard leave just because Van was suddenly afraid for his life. She was tired, covered in sweat and dirt and there, just off the beach, was a bed, a possibility to clean up and a decent meal waiting for her.

As she turned her head away, her eyes caught his fingers that were curled around the hilt of his sword and an idea occurred to her. Her eyes widened. She hesitated only a moment, feelings of guilt and qualms like a stab to her chest but it didn't matter, and then a smirk flickered at the corners of her lips.

She reached out, touching the hand that covered the sword and felt him tense. His eyes narrowed sceptically at her hand on his. He frowned at her and she knew she had him when his eyes widened at her radiant smile. His lips were parted, waiting for him to form the words.

"Don't worry, Van. I'll take care of everything."

Her arms snaked around his waist and held him tightly as she pressed into him. The blush burned like fire across the bridge of his nose. Her face was turned into the crook of his neck, his skin hot from the sun, and she could feel as her own breath hit his skin.

She felt his hesitation and was afraid he would pull back. But ever so slowly he relaxed and his grip on his sword loosened.

"I'm sorry."

Before he could sort through his befuddled mind and return the embrace, before he could ask why she was sorry, she had pushed away again, his sword in her hand, and threw a punch she could be proud of.

When the stars had stopped dancing in front of his eyes, Van found himself on the ground, his jaw aching. He grunted in pain when he tried to sit up.

"I shouldn't have told you how to punch." He rubbed his jaw and tasted blood. This was going to leave a bruise.

She stood above him, one hand on her hip, the other holding his sword. "I said I'm sorry but it has to look convincing."

"What?" He squinted up at her, confused. "What has to look convincing?"

Hitomi grinned. "Well, my overpowering you, taking your sword and bringing you to the ship over there."

* * *

The next morning, Hitomi watched from the bulwarks of Shephard's ship as the island disappeared beyond the horizon. She exhaled, not quite believing their luck. It had only been two days that she had been stuck on this island with Van and yet it felt longer. Maybe it was because she had seen herself spending months forgotten in that place.

Meeting the commodore had never been an option for her. It was too unlikely. And yet here she was, aboard his ship, following in Allen's wake. Her eyes narrowed and her fingers curled into her palms. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"Hitomi?"

She was startled out of her thoughts and turned to face Shephard, a kind smile stretching across his face. If she hadn't followed Millerna all those months ago, if she hadn't ended up aboard Allen's ship, she might have agreed to marry the commodore. She saw in his eyes that he truly wanted to be with her and not because it was expected of him. She saw it when he watched her from the corners of his eyes.

She was sorry to disappoint him but he deserved better.

"Is everything alright?"

Only a few months ago she would have felt awkward to receive Shephard's concern. It would have made her uncomfortable. But now that she knew what it meant to really care, she was calm. She understood him and it made her feel strangely connected with him.

She returned his smile and turned back around to watch the sea. "Yes. I was just thinking that it was quite a coincidence that we met. If you hadn't landed here, we would still be stuck on the island."

It felt good talking to him. She had grown within these last months. It wasn't because she had achieved anything special. She had only made a decision and accepted to deal with the consequences. Yet she felt elated. Making that decision hadn't been as bad as she had expected.

The commodore stepped beside her and rested his arms on the bulwarks. "Fortunate, indeed."

Fortunate. It was an interesting way to describe their situation. She wasn't so sure if it was chance or destiny that had allowed them to meet. She wasn't sure which one she wanted it to be. "How did you know where Captain Schezar was headed?"

Shephard folded his hands and narrowed his eyes. Spray gathered in tiny drops on the sleeves of his uniform, sparkling like diamonds. "I was given information shortly after Schezar had fled from gaol in Godashim."

Emotions flickered across her face and she hoped they wouldn't show. Surprise. Anger. Betrayal. Someone had told Shephard about Allen's course. Someone of the crew? Could there be a traitor? "Who gave it to you?"

"A woman." The commodore rubbed his face and Hitomi was surprised to find a slight blush across the bridge of his nose. He seemed embarrassed. "She told me where he was headed, she told me about the storm and that I should fill up on this very island."

Hitomi's eyes widened. Another seer? How else would she have known about the storm and the island? But where did she come from and why was she meddling?

"And you believed her?" She tried to sound nonchalant but Shephard was too busy rubbing the blush from his cheeks to notice the tremor in her voice.

"At first, I didn't believe her. She didn't ask anything in return for the information. But she knew things about me. And she said it was my destiny to follow Schezar and as long as I would stay on that path it would be all she needed as a reward."

Hitomi wondered who was interfering. Who was keeping watch that they were staying on their destined course. But then again, was it destiny if they were guided? Was it her destiny or someone else's towards she was heading?

"I apologize that I cannot return you to your father right away. I cannot allow Schezar to get away again."

He spoke quietly and she knew that he was truly sorry, that he had been truly worried. Shame crawled into her cheeks, shame because she had hurt so many people with her selfishness.

"I understand."

Her feelings of guilt were feeding off the kindness in his voice, like starving predators. "Your father was very worried. He will be happy to know you save. And so am I."

She averted her eyes from his genuine smile. She didn't deserve it. She hadn't considered her father's feelings as she had set out to follow Millerna, hadn't thought of anything but herself. She had disappointed her father.

Shephard's voice woke her from her thoughts. "You must have been at sea now for more than two months. Have you been treated well?"

He had voiced the question carefully and she saw that his knuckles had turned white as he gripped the bulwarks tightly. Hitomi bit her lip. He cared and she couldn't return it in the same way.

"Yes, they treated me kindly. Millerna and I worked on the ship. In the kitchen mostly." A small smile tugged at the corners of her lip when she remembered peeling potatoes together with Millerna. She should have cherished that moment more because it would never happen again.

"And the boy who was with you on the island?"

"Van? He didn't..." Hitomi blinked in surprise, realizing that she had momentarily forgotten about him. There had been uproar when they had entered the ship, hands pulling her, and so many questions. She had lost sight of him when the captain and his crew had surrounded them. The bath and clean clothes had clouded her senses.

"Where did you bring him?"

Shephard shrugged casually but his eyes were wary when he watched her. "He is down in a cell. Once we return, he will be trialled like he deserves."

"Did you bring him some food at least?" She saw the disbelieving expression on his face and bit her lip. She had to be careful. "He saved my life. I will not allow that you treat him badly. I will bring him some bread."

Hitomi turned quickly on her heels. On her way to Van's cell she passed the kitchen and took as much as she could fit onto the serving plate. He probably hadn't eaten since their breakfast the day before. She felt her insides churn when she remembered how she had enjoyed dinner in the captain's cabin.

The wooden stairs squeaked beneath her when she descended to the lowest level of the ship. There were mostly storage rooms, filled with goods and ammunition. She heard chicken cackling behind one door.

One section contained a handful of cells. There was no daylight. The dim oil lamp dangling from the ceiling was barely able to cut through the wet darkness, casting more shadows than light. She found Van on the ground in one of the cells, resting with his back against the bars, his head on his knees.

Guilt nagged at the back of her head, eating its way through her conscience. Finding Shephard had been a gift and he would have to accept that eventually. She knew he would be mad. He had every right to. She had practically thrown him to the wolves. She didn't know what she would have done, if he had done the very same to her.

She just hoped he was hungry. Maybe she could bribe him into talking to her with some food.

The boards were wet and she noticed that his clothes were soaked. The sun on deck had burned her nose and cheeks, yet he must have been freezing down here. She knelt beside him on the ground, the bars separating them. Her fingers curled tightly around the metal. If he had noticed her approach, he didn't show it.

"Van?"

She was surprised when he stirred at the sound of her voice. He raised his head and she inhaled sharply. Even in the twilight, she saw that his lip and left eyebrow were split and still coated in dried blood. The skin at his jaw had already turned purple.

"Oh, Van. I am so sorry."

"Don't sweat it." He turned his head away from her and rested his good cheek on his knees. The chain around his feet clanked with the movement. The sound was almost painful in the silence.

Hitomi bit her lip. His condition was her fault. Things hadn't gone as smoothly as she had planned after she had dragged Van to Shephard. Nobody had listened to her just like Van had predicted. Only he had taken the can for her. "Van, please. I didn't mean for him to hit you, too."

She thought she heard him snort and pushed the food towards the bars. The plate scraped noisily over the boards. "Are you hungry? I brought you some food."

"I'm not hungry." And as if to prove him wrong, his stomach growled. Hitomi smiled.

"Van, please, look at me."

He looked up and sighed in exasperation. She reached out her hand and cupped his bruised cheek softly. He winced.

"Let me clean you up."

Without looking at her, he shoved her hand away and rose to his feet. The chain rattled across the floor. "I don't need your pity."

She felt her temper rise and she didn't know why. He had every right to be angry at her. She didn't expect any gratefulness. She had hoped he would see that she was trying. Apologizing, admitting that she had been wrong wasn't easy. Couldn't he see that?

"This isn't pity, this is guilt."

He turned around, arms crossed in front of his chest. She saw the determination in his eyes, like a little child seeking revenge. He wanted to hurt her. "Don't tell me you don't enjoy the food and the warmth up there. You missed being pampered, didn't you? Finally, there's someone again who spoils you."

His words bit into her. He knew exactly how to hurt her. She wondered why he was doing it, why he was provoking her like that. "At least I got us away from the island, didn't I? You would have watched the ships leave without doing anything about it."

He spread his arms. "I was right to stay away, wasn't I? Look where I ended up."

She curled her fingers tighter around the bars. The metal was cold. "Let me help you. I promised I would."

She could barely make him out in the shadows of the cell. He had retreated in the corner farthest away from her. His voice was rough when he spoke. She could detect defeat. "What use is it? I'll be wet and dirty as long as I stay down here."

She smiled and hoped he would hear it. "It'll make me feel better."

Wood creaked under the pressure of the water and the wind, like the ship's rattling breath, as it ploughed through the sea. Hitomi listened to the noises of the ship as it inhaled and exhaled around them. The clanking of Van's chain broke through the steady rhythm when he returned to her and sat down in front of the plate she had brought for him. There were some potatoes, boiled eggs and dried pork. A mug of water.

Hitomi watched him as he reached through the bars. She studied his face, hoping to find a clue as to what he was thinking. She wondered if he was mad at her for dragging him aboard this ship or for telling the secret and betraying him. Was he even thinking about this now? Had he thought about it at all since she had told him?

She had thought about it. All the way down the mountain towards the beach she had thought about it. He hadn't said a single word. She had been all alone with her thoughts and the guilt. She needed a reaction. It was what had been driving him, what had made him who he was now. Finding out about his past had meant so much to him. She had taken it all away from him, had taken his purpose, his hope, his friend.

She had been so selfish. Again.

"Don't be mad at me."

Van swallowed. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. I should have known the commodore was up to no good. He shouldn't have been able to surprise me like that."

Hitomi watched him crack open a fruit on the ground.

"You could have warned me."

She sighed and sat down on the wet boards when her legs started to cramp. "There was no time to warn you. It was a spur of the moment kind of idea."

He reached for the mug and gulped down the entire contents. "What is the plan then? Care to enlighten me now?"

She had already thought about this before they had entered Commodore Shephard's ship. The entire idea had come to her mind when Van had told her whose ships they were spying on. It had suddenly been there like a stain on her clothing, not knowing where it had come from.

She would go through with it. Van couldn't do anything from down here so it was up to her to decide. "We're staying with the commodore until we catch up with Allen."

Van stopped in mid-bite. "How can we catch up with Allen? The commodore has no idea where...you're using your powers!"

She shook her head, surprised at the emotion in his voice. "He knows where Allen is headed. Someone told him." She shook her head again when she saw his eyes cloud in fury. "I don't think it was someone of the crew. Someone else is meddling."

He dropped the potato on the plate. "And in the meantime I'm supposed to stay down here? Great."

"Van…"

"Where are you staying? In his cabin?" There was the anger she had been waiting for. She had known the conversation would end with this argument. The emotion in his voice sounded strangely familiar but she didn't dare hope.

"He offered." She was too tired to argue. She didn't want him to be angry at her anymore. "It would have raised suspicion if I had declined."

"Of course." His words burned like acid on her skin.

Why was he accusing her for something so trivial? Why couldn't he see that she wasn't like that image he had of her. Why couldn't he see that she was different? She was right in front of him, loaded with a set of foreign feelings, showing too much of it with everything she did and didn't do. Why couldn't he see her?

"Can you stop being such a prick? I didn't ask for it. I can stay down here with you if it makes you feel any better but you explain that to the captain."

It was too dark for her to see the blush on his tanned cheeks. "I'm sorry."

He took her by surprise yet again. She couldn't put a label on him. Every time she wanted to convince herself that he was nothing like the image her silly mind had conjured, that he was every bit the uncouth pirate she wanted him to be, he said something that completely threw her.

"Me too. I'll see what I can do for you."

Her clothes rustled when she rose to her feet. Dusting off her pants, she looked down at Van. He was still staring at the ground, his eyes hidden in shadows. There was more she wanted to say, more she wanted to ask. It made her insides twist into a hectic bunch. Her heartbeat erratic. So close. But the moment had passed. Missed.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the decks, her fingers curling around the railing. She felt the rough wood under her fingertips, her blood roaring in her ears. She spoke without looking back at him, heat crawling up the back of her neck. "If you could, would you turn back time and change things?"

The creaking of wood was the only noise in the silence. She held her breath. Just for a moment. An eternity. She thought that maybe he hadn't heard her and was about the climb the stairs, defeated.

"No, I wouldn't."

She missed a step and a heartbeat. "You don't regret anything you did?"

This time his reply was immediate. The darkness hushed his voice. "I do regret a lot of things but that doesn't mean I would do it differently if I had the chance."

This wasn't where she had wanted to go with that first question. It was as if he knew, as if he wanted her to say it. As if he dared her to say it.

Cowardice was a high wall to climb. Too high. She only asked because he wouldn't be able to see her face in the twilight. "So you would still let Gaddes kidnap me even if you knew I wasn't the princess?"

"That's just what I said, isn't it?" A smile had formed those words and it made her stomach tingle. It was enough for now.

Her lips twitched. "See you later, Van."

* * *

Folken had never seen snow before. He had never much cared about it. But now the cold white soothed him. Despite the sharp-edged hostility of the island's frozen surface, he felt at peace. The ice stretched endlessly, infinitely towards the horizon and beyond. There was nothing but white. Calm. Quiet. No beginning and no end. Time suspended. Like a breath forever held.

After reaching the island, they had set out, following Dornkirk across a white plain, through tunnels and caves. There hadn't seemed to be a system yet the old man knew exactly where he was going. Beneath the smooth surface, within the ice, Folken finally spotted stone walls and pillars. Witnesses of a past long gone, forever silenced by the ice.

Nothing had been visible when they had crossed the plain but evidences of civilization were everywhere beneath it. It didn't seem as if the ice had taken over the ruins but that they had been one with the ice from the very beginning.

Folken had wondered why anyone would choose to live in that white desert. But the world below was different. What the icy plains lacked in color was flowing out of the walls underground like a waterfall. He hadn't known there could be such a clear shade of blue. It surrounded them, deeper than the sky.

They passed houses, placed one above the other into the icy walls. Cobbled streets, a wide open space, one side taken up by a giant, multi-storey gate. Like a house made of cards, every story carried by a set of massive pillars. They passed through into another tunnel, the echo of their footsteps sweeping icy dust from the walls. Nobody dared to speak.

Dornkirk lead them quietly into a dome whose walls were lined with pillars. Its vastness swallowed every echo.

They stopped when Dornkirk halted his steps, shoes shuffling nervously on the ground. Most of the crew had left the ship and followed Dornkirk although they didn't know what to expect. He had promised them everything they desired and Folken had the feeling that was exactly what they would get.

When Dornkirk spoke, his voice seemed to carry to cold of the place. "Folken, it is time you fulfil your destiny."

They had never spoken about his past. Dornkirk had never asked, never seemed interested. Folken had always been sure that Dornkirk knew about his past. He knew where Folken came from and where he had been supposed to go. He knew exactly who Folken was, what he was. It was the reason Dornkirk had taken him in, the sole reason.

When his parents' ship had been attacked, Folken had been old enough to understand. He had understood why and how. He had been old enough to choose.

He had been born into the royal family of Fanelia as the crown prince. His future had been laid out for him at birth. He had never wanted that. He had hoped for something to alter his path, to change what was meant for him. When the ship was attacked, Folken realized that this was the moment he had been waiting for. It wasn't what he had wanted. He hadn't wanted his parents to die and his brother to get hurt but he had been too much of a coward to leave his family by himself.

Dornkirk had been his chance to change his destiny. He had realized too late that Dornkirk was his destiny. Folken knew that the old man had pursued the royal family of Fanelia on purpose because he was aware of their heritage. He had attacked the ship to get a hold of at least one descendent of Draconian blood. He had killed the parents to get the children because they were the key to his dream. Folken knew that, he saw it in Dornkirk's eyes every time his captain looked at him.

"Did you know that I thought you would change my destiny?"

There was a small smile playing around the corner of Dornkirk's lips. It was like a green flash at sunset, a rare sight. "And in a way, I will. This time, this place is your destiny, Folken. Everything you have done so far was meant to lead you here, to fulfil what you have been meant to."

He asked although he knew the answer. "And what is your destiny?"

"To bring you here."

Destiny. Was it really all about that? Had he only been waiting for this? "But if you knew, why did you give in? Why did you follow that path?"

The crew had cleared the space around them, hoping that the distance would keep harm away. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Naria and Eriya, wrapped in coats, worried expressions on their faces. Dornkirk had averred they join the expedition. Folken was afraid that they were going to play a crucial role in Dornkirk's destiny.

The old man knocked with his cane against the ground. His face was still expressionless, like the blank walls around them. It scared Folken. Even now he couldn't read the captain.

"And here I thought you had understood it by now." He sighed but despite his words there was no exasperation in his voice. Cold. Void. "Why did you follow me, Folken?"

Folken felt the cold creep through the soles of his boots, nesting in his bones. He knew what Dornkirk was getting at. But he had chosen this path willingly, ready to accept the consequences. "I wanted to run away. But I chose to! Didn't I have a choice? Couldn't I have decided differently at one point in my life?

"Why do you refuse to understand?" Dornkirk's eyes were like mirrors, showing nothing but his own reflection, hiding what lay behind them. "Because you have made a decision there is only this one destiny. The path you decided to walk on lead you here."

He had discussed this so many with Eriya. He refused to believe that he had been lead on a path instead of walking it alone. He refused to believe that all his sacrifices had been in vain. "But aren't there...?"

"No, there aren't any what ifs. Right here and now you have no choice. There is no other possibility as to how this could have turned out. Every other alternative ceased to exist when you made a decision. They don't matter anymore. There is only this one present with this one future." A spark seemed to have been ignited behind Dornkirk's eyes, translucent like stained-glass. "But the beauty is that by fulfilling our destiny, we are able to change it."

Folken's breath gathered in a white cloud in front of his face. "The power of Atlantis?"

"The power of Atlantis." Dornkirk looked around at his crew, through them. "What if there was a way to access all these other futures? What if the Draconians found a way to access all those lost possibilities, those missed opportunities, everything that could have been?"

The old man had collected everything about the Forgotten Continent. Folken had seen the library, had read the journals, had studied Dornkirk's research. The captain was possessed by the idea that the power of Atlantis could change destiny. Folken had followed him for his own selfish reasons. "You think they were able to change their destiny?"

"Not exactly." Dornkirk smiled coldly. "They couldn't change it, nobody can. But they were able to choose another one. Do you see the difference, Folken?"

He saw the difference. That was why he was here. That was why he had chosen that path after all. "What has brought you here? What makes you want to seek this power?"

Quietly and without them noticing, their surroundings had started to change. Folken couldn't make out the walls of the dome anymore. It was like his vision was dissolving at the corners, the little color that was left melting into an all-encompassing white.

Dornkirk's outline blurred. "I have had everything in my life, Folken, everything but a choice. Just like you. I want to change that today. Just like you."

That was the reason he had followed Dornkirk. The captain had promised Folken he would be able to make undone what had happened, what had torn apart his family. Everything what had been said and done wouldn't matter any longer. The captain had promised that Folken would get the choice. A second chance. A third. A Fourth. As many as he wanted. Until everything was the way he desired.

Dornkirk spoke through the fog that was getting thicker, muffling every sound like a door closing. "Have you ever been in a situation when you have wondered what if? What if you had chosen another option? What if you had taken another path? This place has all the answers."

This was what he had always wanted, wasn't it? He was no longer running away. He was running towards something. So why was he suddenly doubting? "Is it worth it? There is a high price for all those answers. The Draconians were almost extinguished because they tried to manipulate destiny. They were destroyed by this power."

Dornkirk chuckled. "And yet here you are, a survivor."

"Folken, don't!" A hand reached for him through the fog, clasping around his arm. Warm.

Eriya was suddenly at his side, holding onto him tightly. Her amethyst eyes were narrowed at Dornkirk. The fog had cleared around him, his outline sharper than before. "Ah, the seers. I wonder what you have seen that scares you so much."

Naria stood by his other side, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "Folken, don't listen to him. You can't control this power."

The fog withdrew further, just as quietly as it had come. They were almost able to see the feet of the crew members that stood in the first row around them. Dornkirk seemed to notice as well and for the first time Folken saw something akin to repressed anger on his face. It was gone before Folken could read it. "Why are you so afraid, seer?

Naria spoke, her voice clear. "This power doesn't only bring the rosy future you promise us. It will cause war. People are going to fight each other for this power."

Eriya's fingers dug deeper into his arm. "We saw the destruction it will cause. History is going to repeat itself."

"Are you sure it will cause destruction?" Dornkirk smiled, a shadow of that anger lurking in the corners of his eyes. "Maybe what you saw is just what you are most afraid of? Destruction? The death of a loved one? It is just one of many possibilities. Maybe nothing will happen."

Folken felt Eriya tense beside him but Dornkirk didn't let her speak as the fog stalled in a wide circle around them. Watching. Waiting. "You haven't answered my question, Folken. Have you been in a situation when you wished you could go back in time and change it? Decide differently?"

Dornkirk knew the answer to that question. He knew why Folken had followed him. So why was he asking? "I have."

"What would you be willing to give to change the past? What is worth to pay that price?"

And although he had never asked this question, Folken had always known the answer. "My life."

"Your life? What would you give your life for Folken? What is it that drives you? Your family? Love?" Dornkirk smiled as the fog licked his outstretched fingers, dissolving the outline, dissolving the present. "We are not so different, Folken. If there wasn't something we fought for, something we would be willing to give our lives for, we wouldn't be here."

Nobody saw the glint of metal, a sharpened blade turning in the grey shadows beyond the fog. Only Naria knew. She had known it for a while. Maybe it was her destiny. It was definitely her choice.

The daggers cut through the air with a high singing noise. Eriya turned when she saw her sister move, the vision burned into her retinas. Her scream faded within the nothingness around them when Naria sunk to the ground, two daggers in her back.

"Naria!"

Dilandau stepped out of the fog behind Dornkirk, two daggers glinting in his open palm. "Damn, I was aiming for the other one."

Folken's eyes widened. Something wasn't right. This wasn't supposed to happen. "Dilandau, what..?"

"I don't mind whatever, she was the one who betrayed us anyway." He waved the dagger through the air and scratched the back of his neck.

"What has gotten into you?" Folken couldn't understand. Was this the path he was supposed to walk? Hadn't he sacrificed enough?

He had thought it would end here. Running away. The pain. The guilt. Was it because he had doubted? Because he had hesitated? The twins had told him that the future changed with every decision that was made. Just for the briefest of moments, when Eriya had held onto his arm, he had wanted to turn around. Was it his fault?

Dilandau was like a silver flash, at his throat in a second. The dagger pressed cold against Folken's skin. "Either you start the mechanism, Folken. Or I will make you. If the silver seer isn't worth risking everything for, then quite probably the golden one is. Would you want to change the past for her?"

"Stop it." Folken shoved him away and he let it happen. Dilandau's attitude seemed bored but his eyes were glowing in the color of the blood that was pooling beneath Naria.

"I want those other futures, Folken. Don't you see? I am willing to do everything to achieve that. Are you?"

"Folken, don't." Naria's voice was a whisper, like the summer wind across the fields of his childhood.

He kneeled down beside her, cupping her cheek in his palm. Tears glistened on her skin. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. "Naria..."

"It was my decision." She held his hand and smiled. Brave. He saw himself reflected in her eyes. A coward. "You told me to make up my mind. I have. Now don't let it be in vain."

Tears fell in between Eriya's words. "But Naria, we can..."

"No, Eriya, you have to pay dearly for every future that is offered. You saw it. It is not worth it." Naria clasped his hand with her remaining strength and he felt her life seeping through his fingers, like water, slowly, steadily, unstoppable. "Folken, don't. Or you really won't be able to look your brother in the eyes again."

She wasn't supposed to die in his place. With everything he had done, with everything he had desired, he had hurt the people around him. It couldn't be made undone but he could finally take responsibility.

"Naria, I preached to you about choice. I should take my own advice." He turned to face Dornkirk. "What do I have to do?"

"You have to want it." As Folken's eyes widened, everything around Dornkirk's smile turned white.

* * *

Hitomi watched in awe as her breath gathered in a white cloud in front of her face. The hull of the ship, the bulwarks, the deck and the masts were covered with a coat of white crystals that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. They were raspy and cold when she ran her fingers across the wood and they broke apart easily.

Icebergs floated in the water around them, silent and tall. This cold and empty world fascinated her. She had never seen snow, had never experienced such cold. It was a harsh and merciless climate but it was cruelly beautiful.

During the last hours the walls of ice around them had grown, seemingly closing in on the ship, threatening to crush it.

"We're almost there." Shephard stepped beside her, his jacket pulled tightly around his form and his face hidden behind a scarf. "I hope this is over soon because it is getting more difficult to navigate."

Hitomi smiled as her breath gathered in a cloud in front of her face. This world was so different from what she knew, robbed of every warmth, color and sound. Like an unfinished painting with barely the outlines visible, waiting to be completed. "It is beautiful. Have you seen anything like this before?

She had spent these last two nights playing chess with the captain. They had talked about the past and the future, hopes and fears, expectations. For the first time she had been honest with him. When he had smiled, there had been only a faint trace of sadness in his amber eyes.

"I've seen it once but back then we didn't go as far south as we will now."

The ship bucked and ice crunched as the hull grinded along a wall of ice. Shephard shouted commands across the deck and Hitomi walked slowly to where the wood touched the ice.

They were going so slow that she could stretch out her hand and run her fingers along the ice. It was wet and the cold burned her skin. The ice seemed to grow directly into the sky. Trapped within the ice were shades of blue she had never seen before. They were so much different from the blue she knew from her hometown, so much sharper and colder, as if touching them would cut her skin.

"Please, be careful."

She turned at the captain's worried voice and smiled. "I'm sorry, it's fascinating."

"Did you know that people have been blinded by that beauty?" He grabbed the hood of her coat and pulled her away from the bulwarks as the ship continued to grind along the icy mountain, more snow raining onto the deck. "I heard that merchants and adventurers who dared to go far into this land lost their eyesight because the snow is so bright."

It took them another half a day until they reached the island. The ice creaked around them and the cold water lapped at the hull of the ship. The island didn't look any different than the landscape they had already passed, barren and hostile.

Shephard decided to let the frigates drop anchor in front of the cliff. There wasn't a bay that offered a possibility to go ashore but a wide crack in the ice that seemed to open into a cave. They would head out in the dinghies. They were wasting no time. Shephard didn't want to wait until nightfall, didn't want to lose any more time in pursuit of Schezar.

Hitomi felt a sudden chill, like the wind changing direction, like the tide turning. Shephard passed her and she grabbed his arm.

"Please, be careful. Something is out there."

He smiled. "It seems like you care."

It didn't hurt to admit that the commodore had grown on her. She had seen the kindness behind his eyes, the truth in his words and the loyalty in all he did. She finally saw all that because she had given him the chance. Because she had let herself see it and not blind herself with fear and prejudice. If she hadn't entered Allen's ship, she would have fallen for his smile.

Shephard entered the last dinghy that was launched. The hull was quickly covered in frost as the spray froze on the wood. The dinghies cut slowly through the black water as if it was made of pitch.

Taking a deep breath, Hitomi turned on her heel and went to see Van. She found him huddled in a corner of his cell, wrapped in blankets, a book in his lap. The commodore couldn't be persuaded to let Van out of his cell but he had at least agreed to leave him blankets when the temperatures had dropped.

She hesitated in the doorway for the briefest of moments, enjoying the sensation of a swarm of butterflies awakening in her stomach at the sight of him. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she watched him, absorbed in the book.

"Is it any good?"

He looked up, his eyes bright. The cut on his eyebrow had scabbed but the bruises were still a light purple. He held up the books and grinned. "Not bad. This one is on botany, medical plants. And the history of tea. I didn't know the commodore was interested in this kind of thing."

The cold had crept into every niche of the ship, into every crack. She pulled her jacket tighter around herself and kneeled in front of Van's cell. "We have arrived, Van. The commodore has already left the ship and is headed for the island."

Van closed the book and set it on the ground beside him. He folded his hands and looked at her. "We'll proceed as planned, I guess."

They had made plans these last days. It had been Hitomi's task to find the key for his cell. She couldn't suppress a small smile when she saw the surprise in his eyes as she pulled the key out of her pocket.

"You really...?"

She let the key spin around her finger on its chain. "Don't underestimate me. I can be nice."

When she put the key into the lock she was stopped by his fingers curling into her palm. A cold crept from her hand up her arm and circled around her neck, squeezing tightly. She gasped and closed her eyes, trying to resist the pressure.

When the pressure around her neck was suddenly gone, she opened her eyes and found herself standing on frozen ground, stony pillars lining the walls around her. She knew it was a vision. It was almost exactly the same vision she had had for these last two nights, since they had entered Shephard's ship. Almost the same. Like the nights before, Folken was there, the golden and silver twin at his side. They were arguing with an old man. The difference was that Van was there as well. Angry. His sword drawn. Blinded by rage, unaware of his surroundings. The glint of metal, the song of a blade and he fell to the ground, two daggers in his chest.

Warmth spread through her again and she inhaled as if she had been about to drown. She opened her eyes, finding her face cupped in Van's hands. Concern. Tears left wet marks on her cheeks.

"Have you had any more dreams?"

She averted her eyes and nodded lightly. She had told him about a vision she had had the first night on this ship. A vision of the world breaking apart, of everything dissolving.

She couldn't tell him she had seen his death. It would alter the path. Maybe telling him about it would cause it. Maybe telling him would set off a chain of events that couldn't be stopped anymore, inevitable. What was she supposed to do?

"Are you okay?" Van pried her fingers from around the key and unlocked the cell himself.

She shook her head, getting rid of the last traces of the vision stuck like cobweb in her mind. "I'm fine, let's go."

She led him to the captain's cabin. There was nobody else inside the ship, the last remaining crew members standing guard on deck. Van sat down on a chair and Hitomi let herself fall onto the bed. She covered her face with her hands, cold and sweaty, shaking.

She felt the touch of Van's worry and exhaled. There was nothing she could do about it now so she tried to ignore the image that had burned itself painfully into her mind. She would deal with it. She had already prevented one vision from becoming reality, she could do it again. They had saved Merle so she could save him.

They had agreed to not set out in the wake of the commodore. As they waited for the time to pass, the silence in the room weighed heavy on her chest, making it hard to breathe. It wasn't helping that he was watching her. She wondered what he was thinking. Her mouth too dry, her tongue too heavy to ask. She was afraid of his answer, afraid he would say what she was hoping to hear, afraid he wouldn't.

The bed creaked and the sheets rustled when she finally got up. Upon opening the window, a cold wind bit into her skin. The sun had already set but the ice mercilessly reflected every remaining shred of light. It was so bright that she could clearly see her surroundings. Van squeezed in beside her and his hair tickled her cheek. She breathed in this moment, his closeness, his warmth, before she stepped aside to make room for him.

She had cut his clothes so the wings wouldn't tear them apart. They had decided to leave the ship through the commodore's cabin since the windows were directed away from the deck. She wasn't sure if she would be able to find Allen but it was their only chance. They had to reach Allen before Shephard did. They had to end this.

"Okay, let's find them."

She held out her hand for Van to take. It would be easier if they both concentrated. He hesitated and she narrowed her eyes. "What...?"

She knew this was about what had happened on the island, about his past. It was on his mind constantly. Sometimes she saw it in his eyes when he stared at something far away. He wouldn't look at her then and she knew it was because he was angry, because he didn't want her to see his anger, didn't want her to feel sorry for him or pity him.

He was wrong about that. She didn't pity him. "Is it because of Merle?"

She saw him flinch and felt her temper rise. She could match his anger if she wanted. "Listen, this is not just about you. Something is wrong with this place. I saw terrible things happen. I don't want our friends to die so please, please help me."

He didn't look at her but he took her hand. It was warm, the skin rough. When she closed her eyes she was flying across a frozen landscape. Images flashed. A gorge. A cave. A gate carved in ice. Allen and Millerna arguing.

"I found them."

Her arms circled tightly around his neck and he jumped into the night.

* * *

Allen's voice echoed throughout the cave. Merle was sure if she touched the ice around her, she would be able to feel it vibrate with his anger.

They had reached the island at daybreak. From the outside it looked like all the other frozen islands they had passed, white, cold, sharp-edged, hostile. They wouldn't have been able to find it without the map. Merle was sure it wasn't supposed to be found.

After Allen had mobilized the crew and had more or less voluntarily picked a few people who were to accompany him on a scouting trip, they had entered this white maze. As soon as she had set foot on the island, Merle knew why it was special: it was man-made.

The tunnels leading into the icy mountains, the eerie light illuminating them, the giant dome currently sheltering them and the portal refusing to open were all carved out of the ice.

Their journey had ended suddenly in front of that portal. It was made of ice, its pointed double doors almost reaching up to ceiling of the dome. They could not open it. Allen was furious, Dryden unable to read the inscription whose letters covered almost the entire surface of the portal in delicate arcs and swirls.

Merle stood apart from the group, staring at the ground, freezing. She wore various layers of clothing, she had even bothered with shoes and it still wasn't enough. The cold seeped through the soles of her shoes, through her jacket, making her entire body shake. Every breath stung in her lungs. She had never been this cold. She hated the island, hated the snow, the ice, the cold, the white.

And yet, neither the cold nor her frustration with it could distract her thoughts from the hole that had been torn into her soul. It was so wide she couldn't see anything beyond it, so deep that she was still falling. It had consumed her.

The image of Van jumping into the churning sea was still vividly flashing within her mind. The back of her eyes pricked and a stinging pain flared inside her nose but the tears refused to fall. There were no more tears left.

She had cried for two days. Nobody had been able to calm her. They had all tried to coax her out of her room, had tried to convince her to eat, she wouldn't listen. She had avoided the crew since then. Out of all people aboard the _Lady,_ Merle hated to look at the princess the most. The expression of despair and disbelief on the princess's face mirrored her own. And nothing shattered a lie to oneself easier than a mirror.

When she was by herself, she could make herself believe that everything was merely a dream. A nightmare. There was an end to every nightmare. A scream, a gasp, a reassuring hand on her cheek, something that would wake her. All she had to do was wait.

One brief moment when she had glanced at Millerna out of the corner of her eyes, she had seen something like a defiant hope on her face. Merle clung to it, it was what kept her upright. She wouldn't, couldn't, didn't want to imagine that...that...

Unable to even form the thought, she slammed her fist into the wall of ice beside her. The sharp edges bit into her skin and she inhaled sharply, revelling in the pain.

She wasn't waking up.

She wasn't waking up.

A sob broke from her lips and she was about to slam her fist into the wall a second time when a commotion caught her attention. Ice crunched under boots. Metal grinded as swords were drawn.

Merle was confused. There was a familiar voice, a familiar scent. Both had filled her dreams these last days, her only source of warmth.

Had she fallen asleep in her nightmare?

A yell startled Merle out of her stupor. It echoed off the walls, making the ice shake.

"Hitomi!" Millerna almost stumbled over her own feet as she scrambled towards the figure that had appeared at the entrance of the cave.

Merle didn't need to see who stood beside Hitomi, she felt it with every fibre of her body. Van's presence overwhelmed her senses, crowding her mind and filling her with warmth.

She was awake.

Her legs had started walking, running on their own accord. The pain that had paralyzed her body was gone and she felt her wounds healing. Tears blurred her vision and she could barely see where she was going. Following the scent of warmth, she rubbed her eyes.

His name died on her smiling lips when he turned to look at her, his eyes colder than the air that pierced her lungs. It was like running into a wall, like waking from one nightmare into an even worse one.

She had stopped, unsure. Something wasn't right. Van stood in front of her. If she reached out, she would be able to touch him, feel his skin beneath her fingertips. She was sure it was him. His voice, his scent, his warmth. It was like she remembered. Like he had never jumped into the sea and disappeared. Like she had never believed him dead.

But she didn't recognize the expression on his face. It was that of a stranger.

Her fingers twitched once before they reached out in an attempt to curl into the sleeve of his jacket. When he pulled away it felt like she had been stabbed. She howled through the pain and desperately reached out for him. She clung to his arm and sobbed into his jacket. She heard her own voice telling him incomprehensible things. Words jumbled, tumbled. Sentences were begun but never finished, interrupted by sobs.

While she was pouring her heart out with her tears, she realized that he felt like a lifeless rock in her embrace, rigid and cold. He had turned his face away from her when she looked up at him. And then he shook her off.

Unable to move, unable to feel, she watched as he walked past her towards Dryden. Her lips mutely formed his name. She didn't understand.

"You're alive after all."

"No thanks to you, Allen."

"Van, what happened? How did you get here?"

"Shephard. He's on this island as well." He saw the questions forming on Dryden's lips and raised a hand to stop him. "We can discuss everything later. What exactly are you doing here?"

Allen's eyes glowed when he looked at Van, his excitement palpable. "We are trying to get in. Dryden can't read the inscription."

"I am trying." He pushed his glasses up his nose, his fingertips red from the cold. "It will just take a while. I think it says how we can open the door."

The tears froze on Merle's cheeks as she tried to understand. Who was the stranger who talked like Van, smelled like Van and looked like Van but who didn't remember her?

Beside her, Millerna was still sobbing into Hitomi's shoulder. Merle looked down at the two women and met Hitomi's eyes. What Merle saw there, guilt and sympathy, made her see red. Because it explained everything.

Merle didn't know what had happened to them after they had gone overboard, didn't know where and how they had spent these last days. But she knew what Hitomi had told Van.

With a cry of despair, Merle flung herself at Hitomi. She had no control over her body, possessed by the urge to hurt the girl as much as she had hurt Merle. How dare she? How dare that girl interfere? How dare she burst into their lives and turn everything upside down? How dare she take Van away from her?

Hands tried to restrain her but she howled and bit and scratched.

"Merle, I'm sorry. I had no choice."

Words could not make undone what had been said. "Liar!"

She was forcefully pulled off Hitomi. She didn't feel the slightest satisfaction at seeing the scratches in the girl's face. She was breathing hard and looked around herself wildly. Everyone had retreated but Dryden who was still holding her arms tightly behind her back.

Van was facing away from her, looking at the portal. He was acting as if he hadn't noticed her, as if she wasn't there. When he turned around to look at Dryden, he looked through her as if she was air. It broke her heart all over again.

She had imagined this moment but the pain was beyond imagination. His indifference was worse than his death.

"It doesn't say how you can open the door."

The grip on her arms loosened when Dryden was distracted by Van's words. "You can read it?"

"Van, don't...!" Merle sobbed. Begged. She fell to her knees. Her world was falling apart around her. Everything she had worked so hard for to build, everything she had wanted to protect was turning to dust in her hands. She couldn't hold together the paradise she had dreamed up with him, had dreamed up for him.

He ignored her plea. "I can."

It had been her secret until Hitomi gave it away by telling Van about his past. It had been their secret until Van gave it away by revealing his heritage.

"It says that this place was built by Draconians:

_We built this place for our people__, a refuge for the persecuted. If you are searching for a place to rest, you are welcome to stay." _

"So, what do we do?" Allen had stepped closer, staring at the gates.

"We enter." Through her tears Merle watched as Van placed the palms of his hands against the gate. "I accept your hospitality. Please, grant me passage."

Diamond dust rained down from the top of the gates, ice grinded and the doors opened. Light fell through the opening and everything turned white.

* * *

A/N: Fear not, we're almost there ^^ I feel like there is only one chapter and an epilogue left, haha. We'll see how that next chapter develops though, sometimes they have a mind of their own.

Btw, the title "Hyakunenme" is Japanese and literally translates to "100th year". Hyakunenme can also mean the point in time when your destiny is about to be fulfilled and there is nothing that can be done about it, or so I've read. Correct me if I'm wrong! In any case I love that word. If there is any similar word in English, do let me know, please ^^

Happy reading!


	17. Futures

Summary: After meeting Shephard, Hitomi and Van follow Allen to the island that was marked on the map. While Shephard sets out with his crew, Hitomi and Van leave the ship at night to warn Allen. Meanwhile Dornkirk and Folken have already reached the center of the island where Dornkirk has Naria killed. It is necessary that Folken regrets so he can activate the power of Atlantis...

* * *

Chapter 17 – Futures

* * *

Sunlight warmed Hitomi's skin. It painted circles of reds and yellows behind her closed eyelids. It smelled familiar of saltwater and jasmine, and lavender bed sheets. It smelled like home.

With a gasp, she opened her eyes and found herself staring at the ceiling of her bedroom. A soft breeze carried the murmur of the sea and the cries of seagulls. The curtains swayed, heavy with the warmth of the morning sun.

Hitomi's heart was racing, her breathing short and ragged. What had happened? She remembered entering that cold island at the end of the world. Allen and Millerna fighting, Merle crying, Van opening that gate...

The sheets felt real under her fingertips, the fabric rough against her skin. Sunlight fell through the open windows, casting a carpet of lights and shadows onto the floor. Her heart was beating so hard against her ribcage that she could barely breathe. Too tight. Too little air.

It couldn't have been a dream. It couldn't, couldn't. Mustn't. She jumped out of bed and crossed her room, shaking her head. The floorboards were warm underneath the soles of her feet. She couldn't be home. This couldn't be real.

Plates clinked when she stumbled down the stairs. Hushed voices wafted through the half-open door, scraps of a conversation. Her father sat at the kitchen table and poked his scrambled egg. He looked up from a document he had been studying when she stumbled through the door, out of breath.

"Father."

"Hitomi, I don't think you are properly dressed for breakfast."

She looked down herself. Nightgown. How? "Father."

Her father had already turned back to the documents. It didn't seem as if he was surprised to see her there. "What is it, Hitomi?"

Elli, their housekeeper, placed the breakfast on her plate and smiled at her. Why were they acting as if everything was perfectly normal? "Is everything alright?"

Her father sighed and put down his glasses before he looked at her. "Of course, everything is alright. There is some trouble in town, one of the prisoners escaped last night. And there are two trials today. I probably won't be home for dinner."

As she listened to her father talk, watched Elli clean the dishes, she doubted herself for the first time. She wasn't sure anymore if she had dreamed the last months or if she was dreaming now. The table was rough beneath her fingertips, the scent of scrambled egg and coffee mixed together, Elli humming. It was all too real, too familiar.

What had happened? She could still feel the cold of the island, despite the warmth of the kitchen. It was inside her, tightening its grip around her heart. But if that had really happened, how could she be back at home now and why was everybody acting...acting as if she had never sneaked onto the ship together with Millerna?

Her eyes widened. Her father smiled. The edges of her vision blurred.

* * *

Hitomi sat by a large window, holding an open book in her lap. She blinked and almost fell off the chair when she was startled by the sudden change of her surroundings. She didn't know that room. She didn't know the gown she was wearing. The fabric rustled when she stood up, swishing heavily across the floor. She was trying to breathe slowly to calm her racing heart. What was going on?

Something must have happened when Van had opened the gate. She knew she wasn't dreaming but yet this wasn't real. She felt the sun on her skin and the leathery cover of the book she was holding. She knew it would be painful if she pinched herself. But something was off, as if some books in her shelf had been rearranged. She couldn't pinpoint what had changed, she just knew that something definitely had changed.

Turning the book in her hands, she halted. She stared at her fingers, the ring. A promise and a hailstorm of memories that belonged to another life.

Footsteps beyond the door. Getting louder. A face she hadn't known until a moment ago.

"Mrs. Shephard, your husband has returned earlier than expected. He is waiting for you downstairs."

* * *

Hitomi blinked and found herself surrounded with familiar walls again. It was her father's study, so full of memories. Many times she had fallen asleep under the desk, waiting for her father to finish his work and read to her.

She pressed one hand against her chest in hopes of stopping her heart from breaking through her ribcage. Inhale. Exhale. A glance at her ring finger. The ring was gone. Exhale.

She swallowed painfully and a vague idea of what might be going on formed in her mind. But she needed proof for that. What was it that she had been thinking of when her surroundings had changed?

"Hitomi?"

She froze. It was a voice that had haunted her dreams. She couldn't remember much about her mother, neither her smile nor the feel of her hair, the way she walked. Hitomi had been too young when her mother had died. All she could remember was the sound of her voice.

When her mother suddenly stepped through the door, Hitomi stumbled backwards. Her hands shook, refusing to cover her mouth. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

"Mother, I..."

She smiled. Radiant. "Hitomi, I thought you wanted to accompany me to the market. Elli said that the vendors from the Northern Continent are going to stop by here today." She turned and her hair bounced on her shoulders. A faint trace of jasmine in her wake. Her footsteps in the hallway.

"Mother, wait!" Hitomi's thoughts were tumbling inside her head.

Her voice was getting fainter. "Get ready! You like their glass, don't you?"

Wait. Wait! There were so many questions. So many things she wanted to tell her mother. So many words she hadn't spoken when she had had the time to, so many words spoken in spite, words she wanted to make undone. She had to tell her about all the things that had happened, about the journey, about Allen and his crew, about Millerna peeling potatoes and about Van.

Van.

Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks. Van. Millerna. Allen. Everything that had happened, the journey, the island, the ice. Nothing of that had happened in this reality. This was the way her life would have been if her mother hadn't died in that fire.

She would have never grown up to be the tomboy she was. She would have never learned how to fight. She would have never started this journey with Millerna. She would have never met Van.

"Hitomi, are you ready?"

Her chest ached. It felt as if she was being torn apart inside. Her mother was so close. She could hear her, the fragrance of her jasmine skin still lingering in the air. She wanted to take a step towards her, wanted to listen to her laugh and sing, wanted to tell her how much she had missed her. She wanted to keep all those memories.

But she knew if she chose to walk out the door with her mother, everything that had happened until now would be made undone. If she chose one of the futures she had seen here, nothing of that would ever happen. She would never follow Millerna onto that ship, would never get kidnapped by Allen, would never meet Van. Would she loose her memories as well? Would she forget that she had chosen another future?

"_Every future comes with a price."_

Someone else's words. Where did they come from?

Her vision flickered. Her future was changing. Again.

The temptation was immense. To follow that future with her mother and see how that life would develop, to see how that choice would change her. But she couldn't go back. If she chose to stay with her mother now, she wouldn't be able to go back to her old life, her old memories.

"Hitomiiiii! I'm leaving now, hurry up!"

Tears were running down her cheeks. Her mother was so close. All she had to do was reach out. Footsteps on the stairs. Just one last time. Maybe she wouldn't even remember it later. But just in case she wanted to burn the image of her mother into her mind.

Her mother's eyes widened when she spotted her daughter sitting on the ground, obviously in despair. Hitomi smiled through her tears.

"Bye, mom."

Her vision flickered and turned white.

* * *

At first she noticed the music. Fanfares. An orchestra of voices around her. Hitomi looked around and found herself in a courtyard. Clear blue sky. Sunshine on her skin. High walls surrounding the place. Flags. Reds and golden dragon. What was this future? What had changed?

"Hitomi!"

A hand on her arm startled her. "Millerna!"

The princess smiled and pulled her gently away from the table where she had been standing. Her hair was piled atop her head, glass earrings sparkling. They matched the lilac dress she was wearing, gold thread woven in between the expensive fabric. Hitomi looked down herself, ran her hand over the fabric of the dress she was wearing.

"I've been looking all over the place for you. What were you doing there? I'm taking you along to the Wedding of the Century and you're going to miss it, spacing out."

They pushed through a crowd of people that were blocking a passageway. They wore matching uniforms. Guards. They bowed when Millerna passed. "A wedding? Whose?"

Millerna led her through the empty passageway, lined with tables, glasses still half filled with wine, her stride determined. "Have you been drinking that wine, Hitomi? You do remember what happened the last time?"

"Whose wedding, Millerna?" She stopped and pulled Millerna's arm, forcing the princess to turn around. Slim brows narrowed over lavender eyes.

"The king of Fanelia is getting married today, silly."

Hitomi's eyes widened. King? It couldn't be Van. He wasn't king. He was only prince. Whose future was this? What was she doing here?

She gathered her dress in her arms and ran towards the music, towards people gathering. Her shoes clicked across the stone floor, Millerna's echo behind her. She entered an open place, crowded, people craning their necks. The ceremony had already begun, a man's deep voice reverberating off the stone walls.

She pushed through the crowd, breathing ragged, her heart hammering in her chest.

It was Van who was standing on top of the staircase. His hair shorter, the uniform a foreign sight on him. More words were spoken, the bride's veil lifted. Her eyes widened. She couldn't let that happen. She had to tell Van that this wasn't real. Not yet.

Ignoring the people who stared at her, she pushed through the guards lining the aisle. She had to stop them. Someone held her by the arms but she broke free and stumbled forward.

"Van, don't." She didn't know why she was running. Her feet caught the carpet that covered the stairs and she fell.

When she looked up there was nothing in Van's eyes but surprise and indignation. What she had hoped to find there she found it in Merle's eyes: recognition. And hatred. Red hot. She realized that it was Merle's future that she had stumbled into.

"You! It's not enough for you to ruin everything before, you also want to ruin my future. Weren't you satisfied with what you had?" Angry tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

Hitomi stared. Merle was beautiful, her hair falling in elegant waves to her waist, the dress hugging her slim form perfectly. Gems sparkled like stars on the fabric. Yet there was only sadness in her eyes. "Merle, please, listen to me!"

"I won't!" Tears tickled down her cheeks. "Go back to where you came from. Let me stay here!"

"You can't!" She scrambled to her feet, reaching out for Merle. She had to make her understand. "This will change everything that has happened so far."

"I don't care anymore." With a wink of Merle's hand, two guards stepped beside Hitomi and held her by the arms. She struggled when they attempted to drag her away.

"But Merle, don't you want to explain to him why you kept it a secret? Don't you want to make him understand?"

Was this her fault? Was this because she had meddled, because it hadn't been her place to tell him about his past? She had caused that rift between Van and Merle, had driven Merle to act so desperately. She was the reason Merle would choose another future for herself.

Merle watched her coldly. "Why should I? He isn't going to listen. Why should I go through the pain of having him reject me when I can have this? What is left for me there?"

She understood the cat girl. She knew why Merle wanted this. It was so easy to just accept this, to run from the unwanted consequences of a decision by simply making it undone. Deciding otherwise.

But if this was truly what Merle desired then what was the price she had to pay? "But..."

"But, what? Who are you to tell me what to do and what not to do? You have meddled before. You are always meddling. You think you are allowed to do it? Just because you are gifted, you are the only one who can decide about the future?"

"Merle is right, Hitomi." Their heads turned towards the familiar voice. They had heard it before, in dreams. A cat woman stepped out of the shadows behind the guards, her fur silver, her eyes like the sky. "It is dangerous to try and change the future."

Recognition flashed yet again across Merle's features. "You were on that ship with Folken! You're one of them!"

"Not by choice." Naria smiled and caught Hitomi's eyes. "I'm a seer like you. I meddled and it didn't help. I couldn't stop this from happening."

"You're the one who told Shephard how to follow Allen." Like the missing piece of a puzzle the events fell into place. She understood how Dornkirk had always seemed to be one step ahead of them, understood how Shephard could follow Allen without a map, understood why they had been able to meet on that island, something so unlikely to happen.

She understood all that. She just couldn't understand why the seer had helped them, had saved them. "But why? If you're with Dornkirk, why would you help us?"

Naria glanced at Merle who still sat on the ground, her hands fisted in her wedding gown. Her future had come to a standstill around her. "I wanted to help Folken. I had hoped you would be able to stop this for I was unable to. But I never had a chance in the first place."

Hitomi felt her insides boil. Anger welled up inside her. "Are you telling me to give up? To accept this?"

"I just wanted to warn you. You are probably just going to make it worse." Their eyes locked and Hitomi felt as if the cat woman saw her every fear and regret. "You saw something, didn't you? Something that scared you? Something that you want to prevent from happening?"

She wanted to break eye contact but felt she was unable to. "How?"

"I've felt it as well. Many times." Hitomi's eyes widened when images rained down on her, memories that weren't hers. Naria was sharing her past, showing her what it meant to try and fail again and again, to hope and be disappointed again and again, to have all the power to see the future but be unable to do anything about it. "I tried to change the future many times. But you _can't_ change it."

Hitomi touched her cheeks, wet with her own tears. She knew exactly how Naria felt. The helplessness. Anger. But she had already lost someone before because she had been too scared to act. She wasn't going to let it happen again. Not this time. "But I can't sit and watch. Merle, you will regret it if you pick this future. It will cost you."

Hitomi turned. Van of this future, who didn't know her, stood frozen in time behind her, his eyes narrowed, hand at his sword. If she could see Merle's future, she could surely see his.

* * *

Van stood on a balcony overlooking a vast city. It was caught between mountains, the setting sun drenching their flanks in oranges and shadows. An unfamiliar scent hovered in the air, warm and dry. He couldn't taste salt on his lips and the clothes he was wearing felt foreign on his skin, heavy and dark.

He felt another presence beside him, a shiver running down his spine. He turned and faced a tall man with aqua-blue hair. It was the same man whom he had seen once before, a familiar feeling clinging to him like a scent. Only this time, Van could name the feeling. Eyes wide, his breath caught in his chest, a chain reaction was triggered that flooded his mind with memories.

They were like a blow to his chest, knocking all the air out of his lungs. He couldn't grasp everything that rained down on him, colors, places, words, emotions, the images passing so fast in front of his eyes, too fast.

But it was enough. "Brother."

Folken smiled as he stepped beside Van and rested his arms on the stony balustrade. "So you do remember me."

Van remembered. He remembered. His brother, Folken. His father's voice. His mother's smile. Merle's small hand in his. Vargas in the training hall, holding a sword as tall as him. The samurai guards laughing at him. Horses. The palace roof, blue like the sky. Doubled over, he held his head, a throbbing pain behind his temples. "How? Where did all these memories come from?"

"Because this is a future in which you haven't lost your memory." Folken folded his hands, his eyes reflecting the color of the sunset. "However, those are the memories of this life. Not everything you now remember took place in the present you came from."

He shook his head, trying to find a way out the maze of memories. "What just happened? And what is this place?"

"_Van!"_

"You don't recognize it? We both grew up here." Folken's smile couldn't chase the sadness from his features. "This place is filled with so many memories that they keep falling like ripe apples from a tree."

"I recognize the palace. How did I get here?" He touched the stony walls of the balcony as if to test if they were real. "We had reached the island and I was just about to open the gates..."

He remembered balancing on those walls with Merle, laughing at her worried expression, at her scolding words. She had remembered all of that, had kept it to herself. But she had never been able to share it with him, to laugh and remember together.

"The island that you found through the map used to be the home of our ancestors. It contained the reason for their fall, an ancient mechanism that I activated." Folken didn't look at him when he spoke, looked at the city beneath him, his home to where he couldn't return.

"So this is it? This is the power of Atlantis?" Van had heard the stories, the legends, coming from mouths that had been missing a tooth or two. The legendary people were supposed to have left behind a treasure that evaded every description. All there is to desire for those to find it.

He couldn't believe Allen had been looking for this. Had he known that the map would lead him to Atlantis? Had he known he would need Van to reach it? Was this the reason the captain had taken him in all those years ago?

"It offers you various futures that depend on the choices you have made so far in your life. You can return to crucial decisions you have made and choose differently." Folken's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "You must have stumbled through some futures until you found me here, haven't you?"

"I did." Van looked around, the palace, the guards, the uniform he was wearing. "So this is another one, another possible future?"

Folken nodded and Van laughed, cold and hollow. "Do you know for how long I have wished to remember all this? How many nights I lay awake, trying to find an image that belonged to this life?"

Every time he had gone to sleep, he had hoped and feared to remember. Hoping to find out who he was, fearing that he wouldn't like it. Had Hitomi known that he was the offspring of a royal family when she had told him about his parents? Why hadn't she said anything? What had she been afraid of?

"Now that you have, do you feel better?"

Van rested his hands on the warm stones of the balustrade. "It feels like someone else's life."

"This is what Fanelia would look like if the ship wreck had never happened. If our parents hadn't died."

That event wasn't part of this life. He had no recollection of it, only the fragments Hitomi had given him. "What happened?"

"It was my fault." Folken ran his hands across his face, through his hair. "I ran away from my duty. And I followed Dornkirk, hoping to escape destiny. We were both looking for the same, a way to outwit destiny, a way to change the course of the future."

Folken nodded at Van and he touched the fragile band of silver around his head. "But if this is a future in which you did not go with Dornkirk, then why have I been crowned?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" His brother smiled, bright and radiant. It hurt Van in unfamiliar places, roused unfamiliar feelings. He didn't know this man in front of him, only saw him in a stranger's memories. And yet he wanted to know him, felt betrayed, robbed of the life with his brother.

Folken shook his head, the smile still lurking at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were sad but he looked content. "There was never a need to run away. There was never anything to run away from because the dragon would have chosen you. No matter what."

Van averted his eyes. It was painful to look at the brother he had lost, imagine the life he could have had. He looked into the courtyard. Beyond the palace walls people were closing their shops, loading carts.

"_Van!"_

"Does this mean you're going to return?"

Folken's knuckles turned white, fingers curled into his palms. "No, it's too late for that."

"Why do you say that? It's as if you believe your future is set in stone, as if you have given up." Looking at his brother, Van knew that he hadn't given up. He had just chosen to take another path. "Folken, I can't be king. How can I...?

"_Van!"_

"She's a persistent one." Fabric rustled. The sound of footsteps. Folken's eyes crinkled at the corners.

The feeling of Hitomi's hands on his arm. Van turned to face her. "Van, we have to leave this place immediately!"

Eyes narrowed in confusion. Was she part of this future? Why did she recognize him? He had encountered Hitomi in many of his futures but she had never once recognized him. "Hitomi, what are you doing here?"

"These are futures. Possibilities. The consequences of your every decision." Her fingers tightened painfully around his arm. "They are being offered to you to pick one. You can go back to any decision you have ever made and choose the other path, choose the other future."

"Why do you want to stop it then?" Hitomi was startled by Folken's soft question, realizing for the first time that he was there. "Why didn't you pick the future you liked best?"

"The price was too high."

"And you, Van? Do you wish to be reunited with your family?" There was a challenge in his eyes.

"But do you not see what this means?" Hitomi pulled at his arm, interrupting his train of thought, claiming his attention. "If any of us chooses to return and decide differently, each of our lives will be affected. If Folken refuses to go on that journey with his parents, Van will be taken in by Dornkirk in his stead. If I choose to not sneak on the ship to follow Millerna and Dryden, I won't be with you and I won't be able to save Merle. If Dornkirk chooses a different path, this present will cease to exist."

"So, you weren't tempted then."

Her eyes narrowed. She didn't trust him. "You can only pick a future once."

"That is true."

Van stared at his brother. He could only revert to the memories of this life and the man in front of him was nothing like the Folken from this future. The man before him had seen more, lost more. There was gentleness in his eyes, when he smiled, reminiscent of the person he had once been. But there was also a sharp edge, darkness. "How do I choose a future?"

Folken turned to face him. "Do you regret anything in your life?"

"Many things." Van remembered that Hitomi had already asked him the same question.

"If you had the chance, would you do it differently?"

So much had changed since she had asked him although it had been a mere few hours ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed. And yet, despite having seen all the possibilities he had missed, the people he had lost, his answer remained the same. "No."

"It is important that you remember this sentiment, Van." There was something urgent in his words as the sun set behind him. "No matter what awaits you beyond the gates in Atlantis, no matter what you see there, you mustn't waver. I will make an end to this."

Van felt the cold of the night approaching as the shadows around them grew with every passing minute. "How?"

"By sacrificing one future."

It was a risk. Originally, it hadn't been a moment of choice. By having lived that moment already, he had made it a moment of choice. Because he knew what was going to happen, saw the glint of the daggers in the fog.

Folken breathed the air of a peaceful Fanelia, a Fanelia that he had always longed for. It was ironic that he was now given a taste of the life he would have had if he hadn't run from his destiny. It would have been a quiet and peaceful life. He would have enjoyed it.

It wasn't his future anymore.

"What do you mean?" The noises around them were increasing. People yelling. Carts creaking. Horses. Footsteps. Laughter.

"I awakened the power of Atlantis. I will go back to that point in time and make it undone." Folken had averted his eyes.

A sharp intake of breath. Hitomi stirred at his side. "Whose future is this?"

The silence drowned out the noises of the world around them, heavy, too many unspoken words. Folken's answer no more than a whisper. A stone thrown into a still lake, it's ripples shaking the ground. "Mine."

"Folken, wait." He turned to face his brother, his eyes cast in shadows as the last light of the day faded. "If you succeed, will I remember this conversation?"

"I don't know."

Van reached out with his hand but it was already too late. Folken had decided. His reply was a sad smile as the world dissolved around him.

* * *

"What would you be willing to give to change the past? What is worth to pay that price?" Dornkirk's voice reached Folken in the interstice between dreaming and waking up, between possibilities and the present.

He opened his eyes and found himself back in the dome, facing Dornkirk. The fog was surrounding them like a wall. In the faces of the people around him he saw that they all remembered what had already happened, what was going to happen.

For the briefest of moments he was afraid that the fact that those seconds had already happened, that everybody remembered that they had happened, would change the future. Maybe he wouldn't get the chance to choose. Erratic heartbeat. Exhale.

This was his future. Everything would lead to the decision he had chosen. One decision out of so many he had made in his life.

The words formed on their own accord. They had already been spoken once before. "My life."

"What is going on?" Dornkirk's face was a mask of anger as the fog licked his outstretched fingers, dissolving the outline, dissolving the present. "What did you do?"

Folken felt Naria stir beside him before he saw the glint of metal. So, she had known she was going to die. Her eyes widened when Folken's fingers circled tightly around her upper arm, holding her back, taking her place. Instead of stabbing Naria, the daggers hit him.

The pain was worse than he had expected and his legs suddenly gave out beneath him. Eriya caught him before he hit the ground, traces of her scream still in the air.

"Folken!"

"What have you done?" Dornkirk's voice dull. So far away that Folken barely heard it. "Why did you do that? Wasn't that what you had always wished for? A second chance? I kept my promise so why didn't you?"

Eriya's hand was cold against his cheek. She was crying. This was the last time he was going to hurt her. His vision and the noises around them blurred. His tongue was heavy, useless. There were so many words he yet had to speak. He wanted to apologize to the twins, to Van, Merle. He wanted to ask for forgiveness.

Eriya's tears stained his cheeks.

* * *

Ice crunched when Van pushed open the gates. Hitomi blinked, looked at Millerna who sat beside her, looked at Merle. Their expressions were the same mixture of shock and disbelief. The sound of silence was deafening.

She scrambled to her feet, the icy ground biting into her palms. "Van!"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes as he pushed with his shoulder to open the gate. He remembered. He remembered everything, Fanelia, Folken, the promise.

This time, there was no blinding white light. Van stumbled into the dome that lay beyond the gate and spotted the group in its center. He knew why they were standing in a circle, knew what was amid them. He ran, leaving diamond dust in his wake.

There was no echo to his footsteps, just the sound of ice crunching under his boots, his blood roaring in his ear. Beyond that there was a dull silence. He pushed through the bodies that blocked his view and they let him, numbed, their minds still clinging to the memories of their possible future.

Naria and Eriya kneeled beside his brother. His eyes were closed, skin pale, lips blue. The tears on Eriya's cheeks had frozen.

"Brother." His brother's hand was cold when he touched it. So cold. Van exhaled, exhaled warm breath, exhaled anger and sadness.

"You're too late."

Van shook his head at Eriya. "No, I'm not. I wouldn't have been able to prevent this. It was what he wanted, the future he chose."

The eyes of the cat woman widened. Naria pressed her lips to a thin line, averting her gaze. "He chose?"

Laughter reached their ears. Cold and dry like the air around them. Van looked up and faced Dornkirk. The old man stood apart from the group. He laughed.

"And here I thought my journey had been in vain because of that fool. He had been right all along; there is a reason for you to still be alive." Dornkirk smiled wildly, parchment skin buckling around his mouth. "I had wanted you dead, a disruptive factor. Yet Folken refused to remove you from the board. I have to thank him. His last gift for me."

There were no words to contain the feelings that were raging inside Van. Memories filled his mind, memories of a life that had been taken from him, from his brother, from Merle.

Dornkirk bowed. "Now, if you would please fulfil your brother's destiny. As the last surviving Draconian, you must activate the mechanism."

Images flashed through his mind. Merle's laughing face as she stood on the blue palace roof. His mother and father dancing. His brother losing in a race. A stranger's memories.

He had promised Folken.

Ice crunched. Van broke through the circle Dornkirk's crew had formed around them. Drawing his sword. Dornkirk yelled.

"He must want to change the past! Make him regret he ever came here!"

In the silence between two heartbeats, Hitomi caught Van's eye. She had crossed the distance to the center of the dome halfway, following Van. Stood frozen. A roar rose from the crowd, the sound of swords being drawn. Hitomi watched as Van fell, his foot held by one of Dornkirk's men. He was immediately buried underneath two bodies. They wouldn't kill him; they needed him now that Folken was dead.

Her heart pounding in her neck, she retreated when Dornkirk's men closed in on her, the albino among them, swords glinting. She only had a knife to protect herself. One knife against four swords. Breathing hard, her blood roaring in her ears, she retreated further. Suddenly Gaddes and Orth appeared at her side. She felt Allen and his crew in her back, Dornkirk's men waiting, watching like cats of prey in front of her.

Gaddes spoke so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. "Take Merle and Millerna with you and run. The two of them know where we left the boats."

She hesitated but Gaddes pushed her away. The ice cut her palms when she fell to the ground, the cold creeping into her body. The noise of boots sliding over the ice and metal grinding filled her ears. So loud. Painful. She couldn't find Van in the knot of bodies. Too many limbs, too many swords.

Scrambling to her feet, she hurried towards Millerna and Merle. Gaddes was right. There was nothing they could do.

"Hitomi, what happened?" She grabbed Millerna's arms and dragged her towards a tunnel where Merle was sitting. The cat hadn't even passed the gate, sitting in the same spot where she had screamed at Hitomi.

"I'll explain later. Gaddes told me to return to the boats. You know where they are?"

Millerna looked over her shoulder and tried to free her arms out of Hitomi's grasp. She could still hear the sound of battle. "I do."

Merle didn't resist when they pulled her to her feet, her eyes drowning in fresh tears. They were running through the hallways, twisted like a maze. The icy walls reflected the echo of their footsteps and it sounded like a dozen people were following them. Hitomi heard her own breaths like thunder in her ears, her lungs burning. Millerna was leading them, faster.

"How far?" There was barely enough air in her lungs to speak.

Millerna pulled her around a corner. Another crossway. "Almost there."

Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn't differentiate between the single heartbeats anymore. Her legs were getting heavier with every step, slower. Something stabbed her lungs and Hitomi felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. Despair pulsed through her body and when she wanted to call out to Millerna, Hitomi could hear water lapping at the ice, a familiar voice calling her name.

"Lady Hitomi! Princess Millerna!"

Shephard. He stood with two shiploads of men in the cave that the water had bitten into the ice with its jaws. It was the place Allen had landed with his crew. The dinghies swayed on the soft surf. He had been waiting for their return.

How could she have forgotten? How did he find them?

Shephard strode towards them, expressions of concern and relief altering on his features. "Princess Millerna, are you well?"

Millerna glanced at Hitomi, worry in her eyes. This was an obstacle that hadn't been part of their calculations. "I am quite alright, thank you."

"Hitomi, what are you doing here?" Shephard's hand reached out for her. She wasn't concerned about herself but the people she had left behind in that world of ice. Just glancing at the armed men gathering behind Shephard was enough to see that they outnumbered Allen and his crew by far. "I thought you safe on the ship."

"There was something I had to do." Guilt nagged at the back of her head, for having betrayed him, for having abused his trust.

"Is Schezar still in there? Did you escape him?"

He brushed past her, missing the plea in her eyes, ignoring it. She held him by the sleeve of his uniform. "No, he protected us and told me to return to the boats. They are still fighting."

A vision suddenly pulled the ground from underneath Hitomi's feet. Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell to the ground. White and blue and red. Blood stained the ice. She saw Allen and Dornkirk. Gaddes and a man with a deep scar across his forehead. Swords clashing. Folken. The twins by his side. Van, a sword through his chest, falling to the ground.

When she woke up, she was still screaming. Millerna's fingers clawed at her shoulders but she couldn't feel any pain. Van would die.

"What did you see?" Breathing raggedly, Hitomi caught Merle's eyes. Cold. Distrusting. Hating.

"Van is going to die. I have to..."

She had tried to sit up but Merle pushed her down, roughly. "You mustn't."

"What?" Hitomi struggled against the cat woman's tight grip. "Merle, why would you say that? If I don't do anything, he is going to...he..."

"Didn't you hear what the seer said?"

So Merle did remember what had happened, remembered the futures she had seen. Was that the reason why she refused to let Hitomi help Van? "But I can't let him die! Do you want him to die?"

Pain. Desperation. She was hurting Merle with her words. "No!"

"I saved you, too. Remember?" Without her realizing, her voice had risen. She didn't have time to argue with Merle. Why wouldn't she understand? "He didn't hesitate for even a second."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Tears were gathering at the corners of Merle's eyes and Hitomi realised that it must be hard for her as well. Hitomi wasn't the only one who was worried. It was probably even more painful for Merle and it was Hitomi's fault.

"Why do I have this gift, if I don't use it? Why would I see all that? What would be the sense in that? Letting me see the future without being able to change it?" Merle hesitated for a moment and Hitomi knocked her hands away, scrambling to her feet.

Merle didn't stop her. "But the seer warned you. What if your meddling is the trigger of the future you saw? What if Van is only in danger because you think he is in danger?"

Merle's words still echoed within her mind when she was already running. She never knew when her visions would turn into reality. But this time she knew where it would happen. Van's image was flickering in her mind, leading the way. The tunnels she was passing through all looked the same, hostile, barren walls. Her legs were burning. She was breathing too fast, the cold air cutting into her lungs. She wouldn't be able to get up if she fell. Forward. She had to move forward.

She slowed down when she heard the first noises of battle. They had strayed from the dome. Swords clashed in a tunnel to her right. Footsteps behind her. Heavy breathing. Shephard stopped beside her.

"You shouldn't be here."

"You don't understand." Hitomi kneeled down beside a body and loosened the fingers that were still tightly holding onto the sword.

A tremor shook the ground, the walls around them vibrating. Hitomi braced her palm against the ground so not to lose her balance.

"What are you doing?" Shephard stepped closer when the island had stopped shaking, the intention to stop her written all over his face. Worry. Confusion.

Hitomi raised the sword and pointed its tip at Shephard's chest. "I have to find him."

There had been countless times when she had cursed her powers, when she had wished she had been born without them. She had hurt her father, her mother. She had never thought she would feel glad to have this power, proud, relieved. She had never thought it would make her strong.

She ran, blindly following the warmth of her pendant that guided her. Somewhere along the way, she lost Shephard. He had stopped to fend off one of Dornkirk's men, leaving only the sound of swords clashing behind.

Every breath was like a dagger stabbing into her lungs. She found Van in a huge cave, its walls lined with the facades of houses carved into the ice. Pillars. A gate looming above a wide open place. Van fought. He was bleeding, his clothes stained. It couldn't be all his blood. Panic rose like bile in her throat. Breathe.

The image appeared in her mind before it actually happened. The albino pulled his sword from out of the chest he had just stabbed and turned towards Van, facing his back. Van was immersed in a fight. He wouldn't see that sword aiming at his back. He couldn't.

She acted without thinking. She crossed the distance without realizing, single-minded, raised her sword and cut with a cry of sheer desperation. The albino was barely able to dodge, the sword tearing into his clothing and into his skin. He howled and jumped backwards.

Hitomi held the sword with both hands. Shaking. The albino's eyes were narrowed when he looked up at her and she felt herself panicking. She couldn't stop it. She couldn't control her breathing, faster and faster. Her fingers were clasping the hilt of the sword so tightly, she couldn't let go.

"I remember your face." He grinned. "You couldn't hurt me last time. You came to save him? The captain needs him alive, I only wanted to scratch him a little."

"No." A whispered breath. A realization. A mistake.

"You should have crawled into a hole." The albino pulled a dagger from his belt, twisting it in his hand. "Do you think he would regret it if you died? You think we should try?"

No. She had messed up. It couldn't be. Dilandau's dagger was faster. It caught her in the leg when she was about to turn. The pain made her howl. She had never heard her voice sound like that. It sounded foreign, as if it wasn't her voice, wasn't her leg, wasn't her pain.

Her hands were still shaking when she tried to drag herself across the ground, away from Dilandau. Every time she moved her leg, it felt as if it was being torn off. The pain filled her entire body, numbed her. Her blood colored the ice.

Van had heard her. He had attacked Dilandau before the albino could get any closer to her. Hitomi knew what was going to happen. Self-fulfilling prophecy.

And there was nothing she could do, nothing to stop them. She saw it. Another of Dornkirk's men would come for her, knowing that her death would make Van break his promise to Folken. It was her fault. It had always been her fault.

The many times she had seen the future, all those times she had been led on a path towards that future she had seen. Not once had she thought of straying. She had thought she had to prevent that future from happening when all it did, was lead her towards it.

Van would die because of her. Because she hadn't been able to trust in him, because she trusted her visions. It hurt. It hurt more than the dagger in her leg. He wasn't focused, his eyes flickering to her, dodging the albino's attacks.

Through her tears she saw that someone was approaching her. A young man with unfamiliar features, determination in his eyes. He already saw her dying by his sword.

Her face was wet with tears as she tried to crawl away, crawl towards the sword she had dropped. A sob broke from her lips, her heart beating so hard that she thought it would burst. She could barely grasp the sword, the hilt cold, spasms rendering her fingers useless. When she raised the sword to block the thrust, it was torn from her hands. She cried out, too weak to hold it. It clattered across the ground behind her. Out of reach. Metal glinting. Raised for another attack. Final. Lethal.

Another tremor ran through the tunnels, the walls growling, ice crunching . She didn't see the dagger that hit her opponent in the back of his knee. With a grunt, he fell to the ground. Merle was over him in an instant, another dagger in his neck. She turned to face Hitomi, her eyes cold. "I won't let him die for you."

Hitomi stared at Merle, breathing hard. Her arms trembled when she tried to get up by leaning on the sword. Van was still fighting, blood dripping from his arm. Her vision flickered. The world tilted. She was caught before she hit the ground. Eyes the color of the ice around them, just as cold.

Merle pulled her roughly to her feet and dragged her away, her fingers clawed in Hitomi's arm. "We have to get out of here."

Hitomi looked over her shoulder, her ears ringing. Shephard and his crew had joined the fight, the echo of swords clashing, screams and yells, filling the tunnels. Merle was persistent, supporting Hitomi as she led the way through the ice. A rumbling noise like distant thunder was the harbinger of another tremor that threw them to their knees.

Hitomi screamed when she was pulled to her feet by her hair. Merle leaned against the wall across from her, eyes wide. Hitomi tried to shake off her attacker, felt leathery skin beneath her fingertips. She scratched the skin, paper thin, but the bony hand refused to let go of her, thin fingers twisted tightly in her hair.

Merle stood in front of her, face pale. "Hitomi."

"If you move, she'll die right here." The voice of the captain was raspy. He had looked so old, fragile. His strength seemed unreal compared to his appearance. "Go find the Draconian."

Hitomi's eyes widened. It would happen all over again and Folken would have died in vain. She tried to yank her hair out of Dornkirk's tight grip but failed, howling in pain. She reluctantly followed Dornkirk's movements as he dragged her away from Merle. Fear had numbed the pain in her leg. "Merle, don't listen to him! He'll make Van do what Folken did!"

But the cat had already turned around, running towards where they had come from, running towards Van. Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to stop falling. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. If she had just stayed with Shephard, if she hadn't run off in order to help Van, if she had just never had this vision.

She had to stop the captain. She had to stop him from dragging her back to the dome, had to stop him from forcing Van to activate the mechanism. Turning her head, she tried to look up at him.

"Why didn't you just kill me? It would make things easier for you."

Dornkirk chuckled. "Oh, no. Your suffering will make it easier for me. The more you suffer, the more he'll want to help you."

Impending tears pricked at the back of her eyes. "But whatever you choose, you'll have to pay dearly for it. Don't you have anything to lose?"

"It is worth it." He yanked her harder and she stumbled up the stairs into the dome, pain licking at her leg like a flame. "Isn't it selfish of you to want to preserve that present of yours just because it fits you?"

Selfish. Again she was accused of being selfish. Did she only want to stop Dornkirk because she wasn't willing to pay the price? She had seen Merle's future, reunited with Van, had seen Van's future, reunited with his family. Maybe it was the same with Millerna, Dryden and Allen. Gaddes, Orth and the rest of the crew. For all of them, there must be something they regretted doing or not doing. Maybe after they had seen the possibilities of what could have been, they wanted to change it, no matter the cost. Could she decide for them? Take those possibilities away from them?

"Hitomi, don't listen to him." Van had entered the dome, snow crunching under his boots. "It is not just you. I want to stay here as well."

Dornkirk's laughter was loud in her ears, hollow. Something cold pressed against her neck. "Are you sure? Do you think you can resist the temptation and not go back in time to stop this from happening?"

A pain exploded in her leg when Dornkirk stepped on her wound, rubbing the sole of his boot against the sore flesh. She couldn't stop herself from screaming. She knew it only made the situation worse but she just couldn't stop, couldn't stop. Her throat ached, her ears rang, the pain making her dizzy.

Cold seeped into her and she realized she was on the ground, her face pressed against the ice. Fog licked at her fingers. The world was spinning around her.

"Are you sure you won't want to make her slow, painful death undone?" Dornkirk's voice sounded as if coming from far away but she felt the blade of his sword press against her neck again. "You can stop this at any moment. She doesn't have to die."

Hitomi fought down the dizziness, the nausea that clawed at her consciousness. She had to make him understand before she fainted, before it was too late. Van. Where was he? She couldn't see him. Couldn't raise her head. Her arms too heavy to move. She breathed against the ice. Enough air for a few words.

"Van, remember what you promised Folken." The pressure against her neck increased, making it impossible for Van to move. "You promised him and you will promise me."

Had he heard her? She felt the fog on her skin, moist. "Hitomi…"

"All you have to do is wanting to prevent this!" Dornkirk's voice was shrill. The sword on her neck drew blood, it tickled her skin. The fog grew thicker; she could see it at the edge of her vision.

Her heart beat so fast, making it hard to breathe. Not enough time, not enough air to yell. "Promise me!"

A hundred heartbeats thundered into the silence. "I promise."

A noise like the string of a violin tearing rose from beneath her. High-pitched. Vibrating against her cheek. The ice sang as it broke beneath their feet. It churned, deep cracks running along the ground, spreading from the center towards the walls surrounding them, ramifying. They covered the surface like a net of veins.

There was a breathless moment of silence before the ground shattered like a mirror. There was nothing beneath the thin layer of ice they had mistaken as the dome's floor. Hitomi fell. Myriads of ice pieces floated around her like shards of broken glass. All air had left her lungs. Her vision blurred, her surroundings fading.

A light blinding her. Feathers whirling. A hand reaching out for her. White.

* * *

A chunk of ice hit Allen in the shoulder. He grunted, looking up at the ceiling. Deep cracks split the ice above his head, growing wider with each roaring tremor that shook the ground. The caves were falling apart. They were running out of time.

He signaled Gaddes to retreat. Hopefully they would be able to pick up all of the crew members on the way back to the dinghies. They had all scattered from the dome, fighting in tunnels and small caves. After Shephard and his crew had joined the fight, everything had gotten out of control.

But there no longer was any point in staying. There was no point in fighting anymore. He had experienced the power of Atlantis. It was what he had come here for. The journey had ended, the purpose served.

He had seen what his father had been searching for his entire life, had seen why he had been willing to leave behind his family. But had his father truly known what it was he had been chasing after? Had he known about the power of Atlantis? Had he searched for the island because he had known what he would find there or simply for the sake of the journey itself? Something inside him refused to accept that all his father had been longing to find was a second chance.

Anger and childish defiance that had grown so many years into a beast Allen had been unable to control for longer. It had blinded him, had disabled him to see beyond what he had wanted to see. Everything Allen had hated about his father, his single-mindedness, his obsession, his inability to understand, all that was merely a reflection of Allen himself.

He wondered which future his father would have chosen if he had had the choice. What was it that he regretted? What was it that couldn't have been made undone?

The ground trembled harder, chunks of ice fell from the ceiling, and Allen could barely remain on his feet. He was tossed about like a mouse that had gotten in between the paws of a cat. Helpless. They had to get out of there or they would all be buried alive under the ice.

Gaddes appeared beside him when the ground stopped shaking, the roaring echo of ice churning and stones splitting reflected back and forth manifold between the cold walls like a caged animal. Heading towards the dinghies they were met with more people fleeing, no matter if friend or foe. He had lost sight of Merle and Hitomi a while back already. Although he had ordered for them to return to the dinghies they had appeared among the fighting crews again. What had they been thinking?

They had almost reached the cave where they had moored the dinghies. There no longer was any silence in between the tremors that shook the island. The roaring of the ice bursting was deafening.

"Schezar!"

Shephard stood among the dinghies, clinging to a boat so not to lose his footing. Water splashed around him when more ice fell from the ceiling. "You are under arrest!"

Allen saw that a dozen of his crew members already sat in the boats, tied and guarded. He pushed one of the dinghies into the water. The water numbed his feet the moment he came in contact with it. "I don't think right now is a good time to argue about that. Excuse me, but I have to save my skin."

Kio and five other members of his crew were with him in the boat and rowed. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that Shephard had boarded a dinghy as well, following in his wake.

"Faster!"

The cave was collapsing around them, ripples of falling ice thundering against the boats, tossing them back and forth. It seemed as if the opening in the ice was closing, the island attempting to swallow them, its icy jaws as sharp as a blade.

"Faster!"

Allen rowed, sweating despite the biting cold. He might have thought that there was a minuscule chance of escape. They only had to leave the cave that functioned as an entrance to the island first.

Outside the cave there no longer was any echo. The night sky spanned above them like a moth-eaten curtain, moonlight dancing on pitch-black waves. The _Lady_ lay at anchor offshore, flanked by Shephard's ships.

A whistle sounded across the water. A cold breeze ruffled its surface, sending goose bumps up Allen's spine. He held his breath and his eyes widened when on both ships aside the _Lady_ the hatches suddenly opened and the canons spewed fire and iron. The sound of the explosions reverberated off the icy cliffs in a multiple echo. The _Lady's_ black wood splintered, groaned, broke.

"No," Allen breathed, the word gathering in a white cloud in front of his mouth. He had seen his future without the _Lady, _had seen his life without a purpose. He had grown up hating the ship because it was claiming his father to itself, sucking him in. After the death of his parents, the ship had been all he had left. It was dirt and blood, swords clashing and robbing, laughter, memories. It was his home, his life. "No!"

He whirled around, waving his arms. "Stop rowing! Stop firing at my ship! I surrender, Shephard! Just stop firing!"

Allen let Shephard tie his hands and take his sword. He chuckled, content. As Shephard had them taken towards his ship, Allen watched the island as it fell apart. The entrance collapsed, chunks of ice raining into the water.

Merle was at his throat as soon as he stepped foot on the deck. She tackled him, his arms rendered useless, losing balance. "Where is Van? Did you leave him behind again?"

Her cheeks were tear-stained, eyes red and puffy. The island was still growling, falling apart at the edges. The pieces of ice that slid into the water grew bigger, the ship swaying with the waves.

"Merle, I have honestly no idea where he is."

He could never stand her crying face. It didn't suit her, wasn't supposed to be. He let his head drop against the wooden boards and looked up at the night sky. And smiled.

Van's wings glowed white under the moonlight as he approached the ship. He carried Hitomi in his arms. His wings disappearing in a storm of feathers the moment his feet touched the deck. Fabric rustled, the sound of footsteps as Shephard's crew drew one step back.

Dryden and Millerna were by his side instantly, taking Hitomi from his arms. Allen raised a brow when Van stepped in front of him without saying a word. The boy had grown and yet whenever Allen looked at him, he saw the little boy with the dirty face who had tried to pick his pocket. A storm was raging behind his eyes and just as Allen was about to open his mouth Van's fist connected painfully with his jaw.

Allen shook the dancing stars from his mind and spat blood on the deck. Trying to stand up turned out to be difficult with his arms tied behind his back. "Did I deserve that?"

Pain exploded at his jaw when Van punched him a second time.

"Van, stop it!" Merle kneeled down beside Allen and cradled his head in her lap, narrowing her eyes at Van. "What's gotten into you?"

Allen groaned as Van loomed over him. "That's for not telling me. You knew who I was, didn't you?"

"Ah, I'd been waiting for the day you'd find out." The captain grinned.

"For how long have you known?"

Allen watched him carefully. There were too many emotions flickering across Van's face, making it impossible to read them. "Since I picked you up in Adon."

Van hesitated. Fingers curled into his palms. "Was that the reason you picked me up? Because you knew I would be useful later?"

Out of all the questions he asked that? Out of all the things he worried about that? Allen had never regarded Van as a son. Van had been too much of a loner for that and Allen too stubborn. Their pride had stopped them from getting any closer to each other. Van had been a skillful swordsman, Allen had provided shelter. That was the way it had always been, a matter-of-fact give and take business without useless emotional attachment.

But in that moment when Van looked at him so coldly, fearing betrayal, his eyes conveying the things he had never spoken, Allen felt ridiculously proud of him and irrationally relieved. "No, back then I didn't know. I thought of you more as one troublesome mouth more to feed."

Allen grinned even wider, wiping blood from his lips at his shoulder. Van caught Merle's eyes, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. Not the right time. For some it was too early, for others too late.

"What is going on here?" Shephard stepped between them, raising a brow at Allen's swollen cheek.

The captain hoisted himself in an upright position, Merle supporting his back. "Well obviously it's your lucky day, Shephard. You didn't only catch the mighty Captain Schezar, you also found the crown prince of Fanelia."

Shephard frowned. Allen laughed. He laughed so hard that his eyes watered, so loud that it drowned out the noise of the island dying. It disappeared in a pitch-black sea that gurgled and frothed like a rabid animal. The _Lady_ was following in the wake of Shephard's ships, white frost clinging to her torn sails.

* * *

A/N: There you go, my dear readers, the last regular chapter of this beloved story of mine. Only a short epilogue is left. It might even become your Christmas present ;)


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

Light and shadows danced on the ground, swaying softly with the wind. The trees swallowed the noises of the city. Head bowed, he stood in front of a white marble pillar, ivy hugging its base. She wondered what was on his mind that moment. The wind rustled through the foliage, ruffled her hair, tugged at her clothes, urging her forward.

Suddenly, she didn't know what to say. They had exchanged so many letters during these last months, so many words. They were eluding her now, leaving her mute with too much air in her lungs. But writing those letters was different from seeing him now, from facing his back and waiting for him to turn around.

She listened to her own heartbeat, counting. Three. Two. One. "Hey."

He turned and smiled and she found it was better than the letters, worth the nervousness, worth the embarrassing heat crawling up the back of her neck.

The dark blues and black of his official uniform suited him, the top button undone to leave him some room to breathe. She had to smile when she noticed that his hair seemed to have resisted all attempts on taming it. Finding his eyes sparkling with the one thing she had hoped to see, she swallowed her heart and managed a curtsey that betrayed her weak knees.

"You're early."

She had missed the sound of his voice. It calmed her. "I was able to travel with one of Dryden's merchants most of the way. It was convenient."

He stepped closer, still smiling. The wind tugged at his uniform, carrying torn leaves into the sky. "How did you find me here?"

She caught herself tugging at her hair. "Vargas showed me the way."

The air was heavy and warm with summer. She took a deep breath and smelled the fields that covered the plains around the capitol city to the edge of the cliffs that lined the horizon. The wind was bending the ears of wheat plants, ripples travelling through the gold like waves. From the cliffs it looked like a golden sea.

They could see the city from where they stood, nestled between the mountains. The palace roofs sparkled blue, reflecting the sunlight like waves.

"This is very..." she trailed off and made a wide gesture with her hand that included him, the palace and all of Fanelia.

He sighed. "Tell me about it."

It was a foreign sight, seeing him in his uniform, standing atop this hill, the sea half a continent away. Who would have thought that under all that dirt and rudeness, he was of royal blood? "So, what is it like to be king?"

He laughed and stepped beside her, following her gaze that rested on the city beneath their feet. "I'm not officially king yet. There are still two days left until the coronation."

"Are you nervous?"

"Not more than usual." He rubbed the back of his head. "But Vargas feels the ceremony is taking place too early. He is not happy about it."

She looked at their shadows splayed out in front of them. A slight movement, barely there, and they were touching. "Why not?"

Birds screamed against a cornflower sky. "It was the council's decision. They are convinced the coronation will convey stability. A lot of kingdoms still refuse to accept Fanelia's new-found sovereignty. Without Asturia as an alley we would have never come this far. And Vargas thinks that I'm still not ready for this. That I have to learn more still."

"And do you?"

"If you're asking if I'm ready to be king, then no. If you're asking if I think it's still a good decision, then yes." It was the same voice, the same intonation, the same melody woven into the words, yet something had changed. She glanced at him out of the corners of her eyes to make sure it was still him talking. "I hope it will make the people return to Fanelia."

Her smile directed at the ground, she felt his gaze on her like she felt the sun on her skin. It warmed her.

The wind ruffled the silence between them, stirring noises from the surrounding trees.

"Is that Folken's grave over there?" The white marble glowed in the sunlight. It darkened where an inscription was carved into the stone. She couldn't read it from where she stood.

He watched her as he answered her question. "Hmm. The twins chose this place."

Her eyes flickered, briefly meeting his. Accidentally. Intentionally. Unsure. "Do they still want to leave Fanelia after the ceremony?"

"That's what they said." Avoiding his gaze, she missed his smile. "I think Merle is going to miss them. She would never admit it but I know she liked having them around. Have you met her already?"

"I did. She showed me to my room when I arrived at the palace." She had been looking forward to seeing Merle again but she had also dreaded the moment. Dreaded the awkwardness, dreaded Merle's rebuke.

They hadn't spoken a single word since they had left the cursed island more than a year ago. When she had finally gained consciousness, they had already been separated on different ships. There hadn't even been time to say goodbye after their arrival in Pallas; Allen and his crew were immediately arrested, Van had been brought before the king of Asturia, and she had been taken home by her father right away.

Despite the polite words, Merle's amiable smile hadn't reached her eyes. There was a rift between them that could neither be closed nor crossed. When she had told Van about his past and betrayed Merle in the same breath, she had destroyed something between them, something that not even time could fix. Merle told her with her entire being that she would never forgive her.

Although she had never particularly liked the cat, she felt regret. She wanted to apologize but knew that the words would make no difference.

"Did you invite Allen?"

"I did but I haven't heard from him since he escaped. Fanelia is a land-locked country so I doubt we'll cross paths again. I did invite him for my coronation though and I will be very disappointed if he does not attend." Despite the humor he had put into his voice his words were honest. He was disappointed.

A slight movement of shadows. A shifting of weight from one foot to the other. Her fingers brushed the back of his hand. "Do you miss the sea? Do you miss that life?"

He hesitated and she knew he wouldn't tell her the entire truth. His fingers curled into her palm. Warm and dry. "I don't think eight months are enough time to answer that question. Ask me again in a few years."

She exhaled and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his shoulder. His arms tightened around her.

She smiled into his jacket, his words a whisper in her hair.

* * *

END

* * *

A/N: That's all, folks! It's hard and scary to believe that it's been seven years since I started writing this story. It's been a lot of fun for me writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much. I didn't tie all the knots on purpose since I prefer the open ending :P The epilogue is short and I must be careful not to make the author's note longer than the actual epilogue…in any case, I think it's wrapped up nicely, maybe you think so too ;) And I do know that the story is far from being finished, aye aye. If you read it in one go, you'll find so many plot holes and inconsistency, argh. It makes me want to edit it, especially the first chapters. Do you know that feeling when you begin with a story and a certain image in your mind and throughout writing it, it turns in a totally different direction? ^^

Thanks to everyone who read through this story, who stayed with it from the beginning or who joined later through the course of the journey, who read silently or who reviewed ^^ I appreciated every single one of your reviews, even if I didn't reply all the time, I read them all with a silly smile on my face. They kept me going when I had neglected my story for six months, busy with other stuff, thinking of everything but the story, and suddenly there is this review in my mailbox ^^

This was my last project on this site. With finishing it, I take my leave of this place. I'll let my account stay activated and my stories up as well but I won't add another one. Although I don't think I'll stop writing for good. If I ever decide to publish an original story on fictionpress or a site of the same kind, I'll let you know ^^

Thanks again and all the best,

Dariel


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